Iridescent
by Wolfca
Summary: Part 1 of Hope Amidst the Chaos Series. HYDRA is still causing mayhem and Coulson's team are trying to clean up the mess as well as remain hidden. A personal tragedy hits the team hard and drives Coulson to win this war more then ever. Coulskye. All team involved. Also on AO3
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything

**Setting:** Ok being in the UK our next episode is tomorrow, 'The Only Light in the Darkness' so I know nothing much except the promo vids of next episodes and odd spoilers from twitter lol. Unfortunately I won't be seeing tomorrow episode as I'm at a wedding so I'll be catching it just after midnight when it's downloaded to my iPad unless I'm too drunk lol.

Basically this is set a bit more in the future with HYDRA still running amok. Garret is no more and Agent Ward has taken over as leader of HYDRA. Also the team has the 'Bus' back because I don't like to think of it being in HYDRAs hands when its Coulson's plane and he earned it. This is also a Coulskye story.

I'm a little rusty on writing so I do apologise if it's not great.

To those waiting on an update on my Dredd story, I am working on an update just hit a big writer's block on it.

**Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Is your love strong enough**

**Chapter 1**

The Airborne Mobile Command Station or the 'Bus' as it's commonly known as, was cruising over the Atlantic Ocean. S.H.I.E.L.D. had been shattered with HYDRA's re-emergence, forcing loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives into hiding. Of course hiding a black modified C-17 Globemaster was no easy feat, its obvious modification to the tail made it stick out like a sore thumb. Thankfully there were some people who were friendly to her crew and always offered fuel wherever they could. Due to limited fuel reserves also meant they had to land frequently to conserve. This in turn brought risks as a plane that size needed room to land and HYDRA had most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s satellites under their watch so they couldn't stay in one place for too long, a few days at most. Skye had been the biggest help in this monitoring the internet for any cases to keep the crew occupied and also she would hack the satellites and know if they were about to go over them. They were heading to a hidden Helicarrier just off of New York for fuel, supplies and most of all speak to people other than those in their current company. The Helicarrier was being run by Maria Hill. Its cloaking device still worked and kept it hidden.

New York City, a place Agent Phil Coulson didn't enjoy seeing too often knowing it was where he had 'died'. He was glad that his death had brought the Avengers together as a team and they had won the day. He'd hoped it wouldn't result in so much death but it was in the past and he couldn't change it. What he didn't like was the fact that the lies started here too. He was lied to about his recovery and even the Avengers were lied to as they still believed him dead. Even a trusted friend, Melinda May, had begun lying to him. Another person who had been lied to was a civilian, an innocent person who Coulson had fallen in love with, Audrey Nathen. To him now New York was a place of lies and deceit. Hardly surprising his visit this time was due to an organisation that had been lying for many years, HYDRA. More so was Agent Ward's betrayal to the team. Ward had survived and was now running HYDRA after Garret's death. Skye had tried to bring him back from the brink but she soon realised he was too far gone to return to them as a friend only an enemy. Ward's betrayal left doubt in every team members mind about who they could trust. May feeling like the biggest outcast and always trying to prove to Coulson she was on his side. FitzSimmons knew they could trust each other and just stayed as close as they could. Agent Triplett also felt like he was being watched for betrayal being Garrets ex-S.O. Skye turned more to herself and only Coulson could get her to come out every now and then.

Being on the 'Bus' wasn't helping matters too much as even though the plane was huge it was still a small space to work and live from. Bunks had been moved around so everyone could feel more settled. May had a cabin closer to the cockpit then her usual bunk near the galley so she didn't see many people. Triplett took over her bunk and Skye moved across to the right side of the plane in the bunk closest to the stairs closest to Coulson's office. FitzSimmons just moved closer together and away from the cockpit. Coulson had watched it all happen from the command centre. Everyone was moving nervously around the place, settling into their new quarters. Skye was the first to leave hers as she went past the darkened glass she didn't see Coulson in the command area. Coulson followed her out till she disappeared into the back of the SUV. Letting out a huge sigh he leant on the railing above and just watched the car. He drifted into his own world as his feet carried him to the SUV and he climbed inside with Skye. She wasn't surprised to see him there as she had gotten use to him joining her in the dark car.

"The team is falling apart." Coulson muttered not really to Skye just saying what was on his mind.

Skye kept quiet watching his face as she watched the tension in his eyes. It was something she had noticed very early on with the man, his eyes said everything.

"Maybe we should abandon the plane and go our own separate ways." Coulson continued his mutterings.

Skye looked over him now, his shirt was undone at the top, tie loosened, jacket crumpled in places. This wasn't the Agent Coulson she knew anymore, this was a broken man about to give up. Not caring about what he would think, Skye threw herself at him and hugged him tight and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Don't ever think that AC. We just need time to heal is all?" Skye said to him when she let him go and settled back in her own seat.

Coulson tried to smile but it still didn't get rid of the tension in the plane but it helped cheer him up. Leaning over to her Coulson kissed her cheek in kind and said his thanks then opened the door to leave.

"AC?" Skye called after him.

"Yeah?" Coulson asked as he leant on the door peering back inside.

"If we do split up, can I come with you?" Skye asked.

The older smiled genuinely now and nodded at her that she could. Skye smiled as well as he shut the door. Coulson walked back upstairs and once he was at the stairs to his office he saw May approaching. He waited for her to reach him before fully turning to face her. May couldn't help but feel like Coulson didn't want her around still.

"Thought you should know, we've been picking up some chatter of HYDRA apparently moving someone important in New York." May told him as she handed over her pad with the transcript of the communication.

"Could be Ward?" Coulson inquired.

"Could be. What's the plan?" May asked.

"Do we have a location?" Coulson asked as he motioned towards the command centre.

Skye had written a program to monitor any and all communication as well as face recognition for any information of known HYDRA people like Ward or where they are moving. What had tipped this one off was a large sum of money from a known HYDRA account being transferred to a completely randomly person or so it seemed at the start. Coulson had called Skye up and she joined them in the command centre and began work looking into this person.

"Name is Eryn Wood, freelance driver, 29 year old woman. Whoa sweet ride!" Skye said as she looked into the records.

Coulson had his arms folded and looked over as Skye called up the image of the 'sweet ride'.

"Now that just screams bad girl. Black one too, nice." Trip commented.

"Yeah! GT500KR Shelby Mustang." Skye commented as she called up another image of the same car.

"Lola is better." Coulson muttered causing Skye to smile.

"Hate to say it boss, but pound for pound. That mustang has way more horsepower under the hood." Trip said as he carried on staring at the mustang causing everyone else to smile.

"You don't know Lola." Coulson replied back trying hard to hold back any emotion.

"Ok Agent Jealous but you'd best get a good look at this as this is the car we have to find if you want to find out who they are moving." Skye commented.

Coulson ignored the jealous comment as he looked at the car for a distinctive marking which wasn't too difficult; a dark grey wolfs head snarling on the sides.

"Got it. Where is this pick up?" Coulson asked.

"We're not sure. All we know is New York so I'm running the car through recognition software hoping to pick it up on camera." Skye replied knowing it wasn't a great answer.

Coulson merely nodded looking at the map of New York on the holo-table as cameras all over the city were looking for this car.

"Ok we park the Bus then we sit and wait for this car. Hopefully it's happening soon as I'd rather not sit around for too long in one spot." Coulson set his orders and May left to find a suitable parking.

FitzSimmons left to their lab, Fitz saying he was going to prepare the ICERs and tracking rounds. Trip headed down to the cargo hold to get the SUV ready. Skye was still pouring over information about Eryn. Coulson leant on the table next to her and just watched her work while his mind drifted elsewhere.

"What?" Skye asked when she noticed him nothing.

"Nothing." Coulson replied with a smile.

"Come on, tell me." Skye said as she stopped her work to look at him.

"Just thinking is all." Coulson replied casually.

Skye looked at him again as he seemed to go blank. He blinked several times then smiled at Skye before heading off to his office. Skye watched him go and smiled when he gave her one last smile before heading upstairs. Skye went back to work again and found more information including a picture of the woman they were after. Skye sent the information to Coulson to view before heading down to the lab to find out what the scientists were up to.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all the reviews, favs and follows it meant a lot and helped calm my nerves down for yesterday as I was worried that something was going to go drastically wrong. I was the bride's driver for my uncle's wedding and it was my own car so I trying to make it look nice for the day.

I do apologise for any grammar mistakes as I do read the chapter a good 5 fives before posting and I don't spot them at all. Even reading them out loud I can't hear it and spell checker doesn't point out what is wrong just something is wrong with sentence but I can't find it.

**Chapter 2**

It took a few hours but finally the cameras picked up the mustang. Agents Triplett and May headed to the SUV as Fitz handed them a mag each of his special tracker rounds. May was in the driver's seat where she preferred to be. Coulson leaned on the rail above and watched as the vehicle reversed down the cargo hold ramp, nodding at May as a way of salute which she returned. May quickly headed off in the direction the cameras had picked up the mustang parked up. Triplett checked the screen for directions which Skye was sending. Back on the bus Coulson joined Skye in the command centre and watched on the screen as it showed the mustang parked on the side of the road in a housing estate.

"Can you do that on the move?" Coulson asked Skye.

"Sure thing AC." Skye replied as she continued working before pausing to look at him, "Take it you want me get moving."

"We're going in Lola." Coulson replied as he headed back that way.

Skye had a cheeky smile on her face as she watched Coulson walk away, "Oh, you're still jealous about this mustang being compared to Lola?"

Coulson's smile was his usual smile that revealed nothing making Skye smile as she tried to read his expression. Skye walked down to the cargo and saw Coulson was talking to Simmons.

"Sir I have the teams medical reports for you." Simmons said as she went to hand them to him.

"Ok but keep hold of them for now till this mission is over." Coulson said to her before turning to the red car behind him and got into the driver's seat.

Skye was getting into the car as Lola's engine started with a roar. Coulson was smirking as Skye settled down into the seat more as she monitored everything on her pad. Coulson backed up Lola down the ramp and headed to the edge of the city.

May caught up with the mustang as she watched it from a distance she still saw just the one occupant. Waiting patiently they saw a man walk over to the car and climb into the front passenger seat. May couldn't believe who it was.

"The pick-up is Ian Quinn." May reported.

Coulson heard it through the comms and his face set into serious mode. This was one person he wasn't going to let get away.

"Stop that car at all costs. I'll not have him get away again." Coulson said into the comms before turning to Skye beside him and removed his comms to speak privately to her, "He'll pay for what he did to you."

Skye was momentarily frightened of the senior agent as he looked like he was going to murder someone. It made her think of Ward with Agent Koenig. Coulson noticed her fright and he regretted his expression as he tried to look as regretful as he could and held his hand out to Skye. Skye place a hand in his and he brought it to his lips and kissed her hand.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I just thought that he was locked away for good and now he's out where he can hurt you again." Coulson spoke softly to Skye.

Skye leaned across the car and gently kissed his cheek.

Back in the city, May was following the mustang with Quinn inside, driving careful to not attract attention. Since HYDRA's takeover and S.H.I.E.L.D. being branded terrorists the S.H.I.E.L.D. logos on the SUV were sprayed over and plates were changed. After a few moments they stopped for a red light. It seemed to be going fine till the light went green and the mustang shot off.

"We've been made." May said as she floored the SUV to catch up.

Trip leaned out the window and fired a few tracker rounds hoping to hit the car. Skye ended up giving directions as the Mustang had gotten a lead. Coulson just shook his head as he turned Lola's engine on. Skye was trying hard to not laugh as she put her belt back on.

"I'm so glad I choose the fun car." Skye said as Coulson let out a chuckle.

Skye used the mustang's heading to plot a rough idea of where it was heading. Coulson looked at the map and saw a good spot to head to intercept them. Driving off Coulson reached down and held Skye's hand in his own while driving. May and Triplett had lost the mustang but headed towards Coulson's location. Sure enough the mustang was heading towards Coulson's location. Lola being a bright red car made her stand out more as Coulson was parked on the side of the road. It was a quiet road, more of a back road out to nowhere. The mustang growled past the older car not knowing that Coulson already had Lola hovering as he zoomed ahead and stopped just ahead of the mustang. Again the mustang growled past. So Coulson repeated the same thing this time picking a spot that meant the driver would noticed the car more. Sure enough the mustang slowed down to a stop. Coulson turned Lola to face them.

Even from a distance, Skye could tell there was an argument in the car. Clearly the mustang's driver was spooked at seeing Lola getting ahead of her and Quinn wanting her to carry on driving. Coulson was creeping Lola forward. Behind the mustang May and Trip caught up and between Coulson and May the mustang was boxed in. The driver got out and placed her hands behind her head in surrender. A flash from inside the car and a bang as Coulson and his team watched in horror as the young woman collapsed to the road, shot down. Quinn got out and began to run to the woods beside the road but May was already gunning the SUV. Coulson drove closer to the woman driver as he got out he heard a thud and turned in time to see Quinn hit the road a few feet from the SUV, still alive. May got out and was on him in seconds arresting him. Coulson turned his attention to the young woman who was already pale from blood loss. She had been shot in the side just below the armpit. Coulson knew there was no way she would live through this. The woman was pleading with him.

"I'm so sorry. I had no choice but to work for them." She said but her breathing was troubled and gurgling.

Coulson just knelt down beside her knowing already she was choking on her own blood and her lung being shot. He nodded knowingly, the last thing this woman wanted was people to hate her, she wanted forgiveness and Coulson gave her that. The life faded from her eyes and Coulson closed them. Standing he was about to go on a warpath over to Quinn when Skye showed him the information on her pad.

"HYDRA had her little daughter. They murdered the father and threatened to do the same with her child. Makes me sick to think people could be that cruel to a child." Skye said and looked visibly upset.

Coulson also felt the pain as he had seen his own father killed at a young age. Looking over at May, Coulson saw she was as ruthless as ever practically dragging the man by his handcuffs before shoving him into the boot of the SUV.

"What we going to do to him?" Skye asked.

"Find out what he knows first, afterwards I don't know. I doubt there is a cage small enough to put him now." Coulson replied wishing the man was 6 feet under already.

They all headed back to the bus and tipped the police off to a shooting on the road. Quinn was placed into the holding cell while Coulson went into his office. May was taking off and was going to randomly fly west for a while. Agent Simmons knocked on Coulson's office door and waited patiently for his answer. She heard him say enter and she pulled open his door. Simmons hardly came up here and every time she did she was always fascinated by his collection. She was looking at it forgetting about why she was up here.

"Simmons, can I help you?" Coulson asked politely pulling the young agent from her world.

"Oh sorry sir, I have everyone's recent medical check-up reports." Simmons put them on his desk except one.

Coulson noticed and wondered who's it was. Looking at the pile, May's was on the top so it wasn't about her, which left five other people including himself and Simmons.

"Is there something else?" Coulson asked gesturing to the last file.

Simmons looked nervous about this and didn't know what to say. Instead she handed the folder face down directly to him. Coulson grabbed it and she didn't let go till she told him to read it. Coulson frowned as Simmons rushed out of his office. Coulson was concerned that something was seriously wrong with someone on board. Turning it over he saw Skye's name and a wave of panic washed over him with the force of a tsunami, with an undercurrent of nausea. Cautiously opening the file he read the report, his eyes widening on one word before shutting it and placing it on his desk and pushing his chair away as if it was going to explode in any second. That one word had him panicking worse than Simmons. He felt like his office wasn't big enough anymore like it was crushing him and quickly left his office as well.

"Oh, Skye." Coulson whispered to himself in fear of what this news would do to her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Wow! Just Wow! You guys are so amazing with the reviews. My first Marvel fanfic as well, wow! I was going to post this up in a day or two as I've only just started the next chapter but as a thank you I'll post this extra early.

**Chapter 3**

Agent Phil Coulson was still trying to believe what he had read in the report. He knew he had to tell Skye what was in the report but right now he couldn't. He knew he should be feeling happy for the young agent but he didn't know if this was something she wanted. He tried to go over his training as an agent for guidance but there was nothing that covered this. He had to tell her but the thought was making him sick and his mouth went dry. He was afraid that she would hate him for this. Getting up from his desk Coulson nearly collapsed back down. Taking a few breaths to calm himself he left his office and headed down to galley for a drink. He froze as he saw Skye sat on the sofa behind the stairs to his office, legs curled up under her as if nothing was wrong. She heard his footsteps and turned and smiled at him.

"Oh hey AC. Has that jerk Quinn said anything?" Skye asked then saw he was looking not well.

Coulson was inwardly cursing as this was the last person he wanted to bump into right now. Thinking quickly he knew he had to answer but his mind was a bit scrambled at the moment.

"No, no, just suddenly felt a little dizzy and needed a drink of water." Coulson said as he went past her to the galley.

Skye didn't believe him and stood up and caught his arm before he could escape. Coulson now cursed this plane for not being wide enough.

"AC? What's wrong? You can trust me remember?" Skye said to him staring into his eyes looking for any emotion.

Coulson was torn between telling her and not telling her. He knew he should but it was also something he didn't know if he should. He pulled his arm free then held her shoulders and pushed her back to a seat.

"How you feeling Skye?" Coulson asked as he sat down next to her knowing realising he had no choice but face her.

"Ok now I'm gonna freak out as that means Simmons has found something and you know before me." Skye said as she watched Coulson's expression confirm it but also trying to work out how she could have known, "I'm not stupid AC we were all wired up to that hamster wheel and poked for bloods. Plus I saw her a few minutes ago going up to your office with them."

Coulson let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. There was no way out, he would have to say now. Just then Simmons returned and seeing Coulson sitting with Skye she assumed he had told her. Skye and Coulson stood up and turned to face her. Simmons had come back up after pacing around the lab while Fitz was trying to calm her down. After a while of not hearing Coulson's voice shouting at Skye as she thought he would have done she deemed it safe to pop back upstairs.

"Skye, I just want to say congrats…" Simmons paused when she noted Skye looking totally confused and Coulson shaking his head frantically to make her stop, "Oh you haven't said yet. Oh dear."

Simmons quickly turned tail and bolted, leaving Skye even more confused and Coulson was filled with dread.

"Ok would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?!" Skye demanded clearly angered but she was already putting the pieces together.

May's voice then yelled over the PA, interrupting their conversation.

"Buckle up, seems like we have company and it's not friendly." May ordered.

Before anyone could act the plane was rocked by a missile exploding close by. Skye lost her balance along with Coulson but Coulson's reflexes were much quicker as he pulled her close to him, falling backwards to the floor. Coulson felt pain in his chest and back from the fall but ignored it.

"You ok?" He asked Skye searching her face for any sign.

Skye sat up bracing herself up with her hands on Coulson's chest, her legs straddling the older agent beneath her.

"I'm fine, you?" Skye asked.

"Good." Coulson replied as another explosion rocked the plane causing Skye to rub against him, "We'd best buckle up."

Coulson silently mouthed a curse and inwardly blamed his frazzled brain for not being in complete control of his body as it tried to react to Skye sitting on him. Skye could only smile down at him as she balanced herself back on him.

"Looks a bit familiar this." Skye joked trying to lighten the mood as her head was letting things fall together like a jigsaw.

"Skye!" Coulson snapped his eyes wide and not believing his ears.

Skye went to stand put the plane dived down forcing her back down onto Coulson's chest.

"Think it'll be best if we stay here." Skye said as a flicker of fear crossed her eyes as she held onto Coulson for life.

Coulson wrapped his arms round her as well. Downstairs in the lab, FitzSimmons were struggling to stay standing as well and ended up crawling around and ended up in the SUV. Fitz before entering the car had pressed a button on the wall as plates came up from the ground covering the SUV and Lola's tyres locking the cars in place so neither would slide around.

May was struggling to shake and evade the hostile jet she had picked up. The enemy jet was much quicker than the modified cargo plane. As it flew past her window she noted the HYDRA logo slapped on the side and she felt anger rise and was determined to get rid of the target as well. As the explosion rocked the plane she dummied the plane into a dive as though it had been hit. It seemed to work but the jet noticed a lack of explosion and turned back to finish off. May pulled out of the dive and turned the plane on its side to avoid another missile.

The quick rolling dive nearly slid both Coulson and Skye across the floor but Coulson had grabbed a table leg and stopped them from sliding. Thankfully the tables and chairs were bolted to the floor. Skye's grip on Coulson was so tight now he knew it was going to leave a mark.

Back in the cockpit, May was still trying to figure out how to get rid of jet. The weapon systems couldn't lock on for some strange reason. The cockpit was filled with alarm warning of missile lock and May hit the air brakes and slammed the cargo plane into hover mode. The force was so strong it sent May sprawling all over the controls, blood trickled from her nose but she ignored it. The Jet over shot them and was already coming back for a returning pass. May knew there was no way she could get forward momentum going fast enough leaving her with one option to evade which was to roll.

"Hang on!" May yelled over the comms.

Coulson's eyes went wide. The harsh braking and sent them both sliding along the floor close to the stairs to his office. He heard the engines twist and saw that the thruster of the right wings engines pointing up ready to power up causing the plane to roll wing over wing. Quickly he lifted Skye and laid her onto the stairs as he pressed his body over hers and gripped the stairs till his knuckles went white.

The engines fired and the whole plane rolled counter clockwise and down. Skye screamed as she clung to Coulson while he gritted his teeth to hold them in place. The extreme stunt seemed to have damaged the plane as it struggling to right and was still rolling. The g forces built up as the nose dropped further. Coulson's vision blurred and the screaming from Skye lessened as she began to slip unconscious. Gravity seemed to disappear as Coulson could feel himself being light and Skye was no holding on to him was being pushed against him.

May had nearly lost consciousness herself as she hit the controls to bring the engines back round to normal flight or hover. The right wing engines wouldn't engage forcing May to shut them down. The spinning stopped but now she was mainly running on the left side and she could feel the plane wanting to roll the opposite way. May shut down all engines and pulled the controls back in a hope it would 'glide' out of the dive.

"Come on! Come on" May chanted at the plane as it was shaking but slowly pulling up.

Below May could see the ground rushing towards them. Checking her co-ordinates they were flying over a remote part of Northern Yukon. There was snow but also trees. May grimaced as she hoped the plane would pull up in time. The plane levelled out as the trees started scrapping the undercarriage. May tried the engines but nothing. The scrapping got worse along with the jolting as gravity gripped the heavy plane. Finally all engines snapped back into normal flying position and fired. The plane began rising again and mysteriously the jet had disappeared as well. May let out a ragged breath as she spied a gap in the trees big enough for the plane and began going through the landing procedure. The wheels touched down but the snow was slippery and the plane's tail came round sideways but thankfully it stopped before any of the plane hit any trees again. May powered down and like herself felt it sag down. Everything powered down as if the plane had given up and was going to sleep. May had never done it before but she rested a hand on top of the console, tapping it gently as if caring for the metal giant. She unbuckled and heading into the main area seeing Coulson on top of Skye. She was about to say something when she realised he was trying to wake her up. May went over to him and saw blood trailing out of Coulson's nose.

"She passed out when we spun." Coulson explained his face looking like he was still trying to see straight himself.

May reached for her pulse and felt one and saw she also had a nose bleed.

"She's alive. Let her rest for a bit. It's been a rough ride." May said as she gently squeezed his shoulder before heading downstairs to check on FitzSimmons.

"You have no idea." Coulson muttered as he gently lifted Skye up and carried her to her bunk.

Placing her down gently on her bed, Coulson took a moment to look over the young woman, letting out a shaky breath knowing her world was probably about to crash around her. He went to go when he felt a hand grab him. Looking back he saw Skye had woken up. He was quick to be beside her and push stray hair away from her face.

"You okay?" Coulson asked her.

Skye shock her head as she pushed him out the way as she bolted to the bathroom. Coulson sighed as he looked around and saw the plane was in disarray as if the plane had gone through a washing machine. Shaking his head he headed after Skye to make sure she was ok.

May entered the lab and saw no sign of the pair of scientists. Anything not bolted down was strewn all over the place or broken. Looking back into the hanger bay she noted the wheel clamps had been engaged. Walking towards the two vehicles she noted Lola didn't seem to have any dents or scratches on. Looking at the SUV May opened the back door and tried to keep a straight face as she saw the pair of scientists in a heap of limbs in the seat of the SUV in a very compromising position.

"Planes stopped, you survived, well done." May said to the pair as though it was a test before leaving them.

Grunts and groans followed as well as protests of which way arms, legs and seatbelts should move to untangle themselves in. May let a rare smile cross her face. As May went past the interrogation room she went inside and saw Trip buckled into a seat on the wall looking a little green. Quinn however wasn't going to be talking again as he was slumped against the wall near the door, neck bent the wrong way.

Skye had finished throwing up and cleaning herself up but felt mega dizzy and like something was shoved up her nose. A knock on the door and she groggily exited the bathroom to face Coulson. He'd found a damp cloth and offered it to her. She took it and looked in the mirror as she began to clean the blood up even though her nose still felt sore. Coulson stood in the doorway so he could keep an eye on her.

"So AC. You going to tell me what happened?" Skye asked him not looking.

"I'll ask May but it seems like we came under attack…" Coulson started but Skye had grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bathroom and didn't speak till the door shut again.

"I meant before that? I have my theory but I'd rather hear the words from you seeing as you've seen it in black and white." Skye told him, anger in her voice.

Coulson had hoped she had forgotten but she hadn't.

"Please don't press me for that right now. I have to find out what happened here first." Coulson replied as he desperately wanted to leave the small room.

"Oh sure while I'm here left wondering what the hell is wrong with me!" Skye snapped at him.

Coulson knew she was scared but he still felt angry.

"You're alive! Don't worry I don't need thanking for my part of keeping you that way while we were just going through a planes version of fast spin!" Coulson snapped as he left the bathroom.

Skye muttered her thanks and a sorry but he didn't hear her. Skye felt tears form and she let them fall. Scared was an understatement right now as she leaned against the wall and slumped down to the floor bringing her knees up and burying her head in them and her arms around them and cried. May had heard Coulson snap and paused. She had seen anger on him many times recently and knew the best thing to do was let him have his say and answer any questions quickly.

Coulson saw May and stopped in his war path to his office. His shoulders sagged as he approached at a walk.

"I should apologise to her." Coulson said as he placed a hand on the banister.

"So you're going to keep walking away from her." May said matter-of-factly. "I don't know what was said but I can see it's hurting you."

Coulson didn't want to argue with her right now.

"I'll apologise later. What the hell happened?" Coulson asked.

"HYDRA jet." May said as if it was the only explanation.

"HYDRA must have known we had Quinn on board. You do know we have guns on this thing." Coulson said.

"Wouldn't lock or fire. I'll get Fitz on it. I checked the radar before the power went, the jet bugged out. Also Quinn is dead." May said as she turned on her heel and headed back downstairs.

Coulson watched her leave before turning back to the door where Skye was still hiding behind. He considered walking back but he decided against it and went to clean up his office. Once inside all the files were scattered and he began sorting them out trying to ignore reading Skye's except her name.

It had been several hours and Fitz was busy working through the plane restoring power. May was running diagnostics and trying to understand what had happened with weapons and the engines. Trip had the job of getting Quinn's body of the plane. Simmons was cleaning up the lab when Skye came in.

"Oh hey Skye. How you feeling?" Simmons asked looking quite flustered and nervous to see Skye.

"Come on, out with it Jem. What's going on with me? Coulson won't say anything and I'm freaking out." Skye said to her as she approached her.

Simmons noted she was hugging herself and did look very frightened. Simmons tried to turn back to her work but Skye didn't leave. Coulson was walking into the lab as quietly as he could with her file in his hand thinking it was best if she read it. Simmons spotted him and said nothing as she let Skye talk.

"I'm not stupid ok. You only congrats to someone if they're…" Skye paused then.

Yes she had thought it but now trying to say it she couldn't. She looked into Jemma's eyes and it was all the confirmation she needed. Jemma merely nodded towards Coulson standing in the. He'd heard her figuring it out and now saw her so frightened at realising it. Simmons placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Ward though. It can't be easy knowing that he's a traitor and he's the father." Simmons offered as words of sympathy.

Skye was still in shock but walked out of the lab towards Coulson. He held an arm out pointing to the SUV and handed her the file. Skye went into her 'me' space leaving Coulson with Simmons.

"I feel so sad for her. I can't imagine what she's going through knowing she's a single parent." Simmons said to him before going through to the back of the lab.

Coulson let that sink in for a while. She believed Ward was the father but Coulson knew that wasn't true. The whole team was blinkered to the truth. Coulson gulped as he approached the SUV and didn't bother to knock just climbed inside. Skye was inside crying and it brought a tear to his own eye to see her like this. He slid closer and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, her back against his chest resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I can't do this. We can't do this." Skye sobbed between tears falling.

"We'll work something out." Coulson muttered kissing the top of her shoulder.

"They think Ward is the father but I know he's not. We never did that." Skye said a bit worried.

"I know." Coulson said to her quietly as she spun in his arms to face him.

"Do I lie or tell the truth? That you are the father." Skye asked.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I hope people are still enjoying this fic.

**Chapter 4**

Coulson was thinking back to when this could have happened. Life had been going crazy for the past couple of months. His mind fixed on a memory.

-FLASHBACK-

They had been drifting from motel to motel till they got the bus back from Ward's hands. Thinking about it more carefully it had to be back at the motel when they had limited rooms and it ended up being Skye and Coulson slept in the cars to save some money for food. Coulson had started to sleep in Lola with the roof up till as the night wore on it got colder. Blankets weren't enough to keep him warm enough to sleep, and as he peered through the back window of Lola till he saw the SUV behind and saw a light or at least a glow of something was on in there. Getting up he realised that sleeping in Lola was a really silly idea as his back and knees popped and cracked. He staggered over to the back passenger door of the SUV and knocked. Skye opened the door and Coulson barged in shutting the door behind him. Skye had grabbed some blankets from the boot and was covered in them so only her face showed. Coulson smiled at the sight before realising she was cold as well but it was warmer than in Lola.

"Bit cold tonight." Skye said to him from under her mountain of blankets.

"Just a bit." Coulson replied as he shivered a bit, "How much for one of your blankets?" Coulson joked needing to make the situation not so dire.

"Oooh I don't know what you got to offer?" Skye joked back leaning back on the door and hugging them to her.

Coulson looked around the SUV then down at the back seats and the boot space.

"I'm sure I know how to flatten these seats so we have more room back here." Coulson inquired.

"Aw so you don't want a hug from the blanket monster?" Skye joked with a slight chuckle.

Coulson seemed to go serious for a moment before looking over at Skye. Skye watched him and couldn't judge his reaction. Coulson slid over to her and Skye disappeared under the blankets not sure what he was going to do. Quick as anything he grabbed the edge of the blankets and threw them up into the air, grabbed Skye from under them and pulled her towards him as he leaned back forcing her to lie on top of him. By the time Skye realised what had happened the blankets had landed all scattered over them. Fighting to get out from under them she was inadvertently rubbing against a sensitive area just below Coulson's waist. It wasn't till the blankets were in a pile behind her that she realised what had happened. Coulson was trying his best to hide his emotions with his eyes screwed shut but he was biting his lower lip giving the game up. Throwing caution to the wind Skye leaned forward to lay more on Coulson and ran a finger up his neck and along his jaw. Coulson tried to calm his breathing as he opened his eyes and stared into Skye's own darkening eyes. Neither of them complained about being cold that night nor any other night they had to spend in the car wrapped up in each other's arms.

-END FLASHBACK-

"AC?" Skye asked noticing his mind was elsewhere.

"Sorry was thinking back." Coulson replied with a cheeky smirk on his face.

Just then there was a knock on the glass. Coulson looked at Skye before Coulson put the window down. Fitz was peering in, smiling at Skye when he saw her red eyes, Coulson spoke first.

"Fitz, what's the status of my plane?" Coulson asked.

"She's pretty banged up sir. We can't risk VTOL right now as May's little stunt damaged the engines turning servos. Weapons wiring was knocked out of place from the explosions. Guess they weren't fully checked after HYDRA shot our weapons back in the HUB. Is Skye ok sir?" Fitz reported then asked about.

"Just give her time." Coulson replied.

"Ok sir." Fitz replied as he nodded and walked away towards the lab.

Coulson put the window up and turned back round to Skye.

"So we are playing it secret about us then?" Skye asked.

"For now." Coulson replied not liking to lie to his team.

Skye nodded but wishing the lying would stop around them all. She leant over towards Coulson and kissed his neck while he was looking out the window wishing he didn't have to lie. Coulson turned to face her and placed gentle hands on her face and pulled her to him as he kissed her. Skye deepened the kiss but Coulson ended it far too early and looked seriously into her eyes.

"I love you, you know that right? I'm not just saying that because of recent news. I mean it Skye. I don't just fuck around the place."

Skye searched his eyes and knew he was talking the truth. She tried to kiss him but he held back wanting a worded answer.

"I know, I love you too." Skye said back to him and he allowed her to kiss him.

Coulson broke it again as he put his hand on the handle to open the SUV and leave.

"Look I've got to sort this plane out and make sure we're all safe. Hopefully we'll be back in clear skies again soon and we'll have somewhere safe where we can celebrate." Coulson told her as he went to leave.

"You want to keep this?" Skye asked.

Coulson sighed knowing this sort of question would pop up somewhere along the line after finding out. He turned to face her but the hurt of the other options couldn't be hidden from his eyes.

"I am beside you no matter what you choose, ok? Don't ever feel pressured into something because of my feelings. Do what you feel is right." Coulson told her.

Opening the car door he left leaving her to her thoughts and his words. Coulson didn't see much of her all day except to help Fitz and May with some programming of the plane. It didn't take long before news spread. Coulson would have been shocked if they didn't considering it was a small team in a confined space. Everyone believed it was Wards; even May gave Skye a reassuring hug. Coulson could only smile before having Fitz drag him out of his imaginary world to help lift up a heavy panel so he could get to the wires. It took nearly two days but finally they could at least take off with VTOL still out. It was a shaky take off but they trusted May to get them airborne. They took a risk and headed to Providence to fix it up properly and also to see if they could raid the supplies again. Thankfully there was no HYDRA and after a week they got the plane fixed up properly. Still Skye hadn't gone to speak to Coulson and he hadn't tried either thinking it was what she wanted not knowing that she had been trying to get his attention all week.

It was early evening and Coulson was walking round the base when he saw Skye in the mess hall pushing food round her plate. She looked miserable so he went into the hall and over to her table, she didn't acknowledge his presence so he sat down next to her. Neither said anything for a while which made Coulson a little nervous so he decided to break the ice first.

"Hi." Coulson asked not looking at her rather he stared at his hands in front of him.

"Hey." Skye replied then pushed the plate of food away from her.

Coulson looked down knowing something was bad when she didn't call him AC. He risked a glance towards her and saw she was absolutely exhausted and red eyed.

"How's…" Coulson started but Skye stopped him.

"I'm fine. We're fine I should say. Well I'm tired but not that it matters as I'm also alone." Skye told him looking everywhere but at him.

Coulson felt hurt and wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms but he had a feeling he'd best not just yet.

"You're not alone Skye. You can see me any time you like." Coulson told her.

"I tried but you were always busy." Skye said back and even though Coulson couldn't see her face he knew it was through gritted teeth.

"Skye I honestly didn't know you were after me. I haven't seen you till now for the first time in a week." Coulson tried to explain.

"Oh yeah you are so full of concern you didn't bother to check up on me yourself." Skye snapped and turned to look at him.

Black circles around his eyes and a good few days of stubble. Skye is momentarily paused as she actually looks at him. His eyes normally shine but even now they are dull, the blue replaced with grey.

"Skye as far as I knew you were still letting the news sink in for yourself and that you would see me when you had made a decision. I'm sorry I should have come and found you." Coulson said in a voice so quiet it may have been a whisper but what hurt Skye the most was the given up feeling in his voice as well.

Skye couldn't resist any more as she threw her arms round him buried her head in his shoulder. Coulson also moved to wrap his arms round her. She sniffled against his shoulder but didn't look up; Coulson placed a slow lingering kiss on her forehead and ran a soothing hand up and down her back. He let her sob for a while letting an arm drop so he could place a hand on her stomach. He felt her smile at the gesture making him smile too. A half sobbed chuckle escaped her lips; his was a deep down one. He traced a path of kisses from her forehead to her ear.

"You'd best eat up your dinner now." Coulson whispered to her.

"Only if you're dessert." Skye replied as she lowered an arm and ran her fingertips across his stomach just above his belt trying to get between the two.

"Deal." Coulson said as he kissed her again but this time on the lips before going to leave.

"Where will you be?" Skye asked as she pulled the plate back towards her.

"My office on the plane, everyone is enjoying the beds on the base." Coulson said.

"Well they are better." Skye muttered around a mouthful of food.

"Ok I'll meet you in a spare room on the base." Coulson replied with a smile as he walked off.

"Wait which room is that?" Skye asked.

Coulson's reply was to flash his orange and white lanyard that was still in his jacket pocket knowing she would know how to track him down. Skye pulled out her pad and sure enough she was tracking him. She watched his dot move around till she finished her meal. She put her plate in the sink to wash later as she double checked his location and headed off to find him. It didn't take long and as she approached she realised that the room was far away from everyone else. She didn't bother to knock before opening the door. It was a bit dark inside and was only lit by the screen on the wall monitoring the area surrounding Providence. She couldn't see Coulson and thought she had the wrong room till the door shut behind her making her jump. She spun round and saw it was Coulson and relaxed.

"God AC, you made me jump." Skye said.

"Sorry didn't mean to." Coulson muttered back as he closed the distance between them and hugged her waist to him lightly.

Skye's arms went round his neck as her fingers played with the short hair there. Coulson's eyes closed as he enjoyed the touch he'd sorely missed. He let out a sigh but came out more like a purr. Skye smiled as she kissed his neck up to his ear.

"I've missed you." Skye told him.

"I've missed you too." Coulson replied as he lowered himself before gripping Skye a bit tighter and lifting her.

Skye let out a chuckle as she wrapped herself around his waist and neck more. Coulson carried her across the room to gently sit her on the edge of the bed. Skye slowly crawled up the bed backwards as Coulson kept kissing her and followed her till they could both lie on the bed. It was then Skye noticed he had already taken off his suit jacket and tie. Skye could feel her heart hammering at the thought of having Coulson all to herself for the next foreseeable hours. Coulson tried to kiss her everywhere all at once making it difficult for Skye to unbutton his shirt. Slowly she ran her fingertips over his chest and trailed his scar. It didn't bother her seeing it anymore; it was a part of him now. They went to go further when Coulson's phone rang. He wanted to ignore it but it wouldn't stop. Growling in frustration he answered his phone.

"Hello?" Coulson asked frustration in his voice.

"Sorry to disturb you, the defence turret has just been set off and appears to have killed a scouting HYDRA agent." May said then hangs up.

Both Coulson and Skye's eyes went wide on hearing that.

"Be right there!" Coulson said in a hurry as he hung up the phone.

Coulson was buttoning up his shirt while Skye stood up to leave. Coulson stretched out an arm and caught her.

"Another time but first get your things and on the bus as soon as possible. Tell Fitzsimmons to do the same." Coulson ordered.

Skye nodded then left. Coulson grabbed his jacket and tie and headed off to Koenig's office where May was waiting with Trip. May has already tapped some keys and cameras pick up thermal images of a group of people moving in on them along with a helicopter that dropped them off.

"Three to one if the numbers are right. I'd say we have minutes before they are on us sir." Trip says as he studies the images.

"We need to be airborne now." Coulson says and May doesn't need to hear anymore as she runs off towards the plane.

Trip goes as well and helps Fitzsimmons with loading of the last few boxes of supplies. Coulson is watching the cameras and changes the images to normal, outside the hanger doors he spots them trying to hack the door but also he spots Grant ward among the men, clearly wanting to take the team out personally. Coulson runs towards the bus now, spying Skye he tells her to try and counter their hacking. She's in the command centre with Trip working as quick as she can to override. Coulson goes to the cockpit with May as she tries to open the doors from her command station in the cockpit finding it not working. The engines were prepped for a VTOL take off but no matter what she tried they didn't open and Coulson could hear Skye shouting in frustration as she tried to open them her end too.

"Guess times up." Coulson muttered as he watched the hanger doors in front of them open.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** There were two different versions of this chapter, good and bad. There seemed to be a lack of interest in this story so…

**Chapter 5**

"Keep at those controls I'm going to buy you some time." Coulson said to May.

"I'm not leaving you behind." May told him as she grabbed his arm.

Outside the cockpit, the front hanger doors were open enough for HYDRA agents to spill in, side by side. At least 20 men inside and stood in the doorway was Agent Ward, Coulson could see this situation had just got dire for them all.

"Take off as soon as you can clear the doors, with or without me. That's an order." Coulson told her not wanting to look at his longtime friend.

May kept trying the door controls while Coulson left the cockpit. Heading downstairs to avionics and then through to the storage area. This way he avoided Skye for a few minutes in the longue area, she would try and stop him right now. He stopped in the armory leaving his suit jacket and tie on the side as he put on the bulletproof vest. Coulson wrapped the gun belt round his waist securing it and noting he had to tighten it from last time he wore it. Clearly recent events and lack of an appetite meant he'd lost a bit of weight. He put his 9mm into his holster along with some spare magazines and a knife into the back clip. Once he was sure he had everything he turned to see Agent Trip stood there waiting to gear up.

"I'm coming with you." Trip said as he went to push past the senior agent.

Coulson held his arm out and pushed Trip back out the storage room.

"No I need you to stay here. Look after Skye for me, keep her safe." Coulson said to him keeping his boss face on.

Trip sighed not liking it but nodded as he headed back upstairs. Coulson was in the cargo hold waiting for the door to open when he heard Skye running. He didn't want to look back as he heard her protesting to be let go. Clearly Trip had caught her telling her to stay back. Coulson had to switch off; this was why relationships were bad ideas for agents. He knew there was a chance he wouldn't be coming back but he had to buy his team a chance to escape. He just hoped Skye could forgive him for this. Taking a deep breath he stepped off the ramp, handgun at the ready, as he peered round the side of the plane seeing the men were still a way from the plane.

"Close the ramp." Coulson ordered.

No one moved but the hold still closed. He could hear them protest, even FitzSimmons, screaming at him to not do this. Once it was sealed shut, Coulson peered round again and fired a quick shot at the closest man who was near the front of the plane, felling him. The other men halted as they looked for cover that wasn't the plane as they had all heard stories of Agent May the pilot and they would believe she would roll the plane forward crushing anyone under the wheels and sheer weight of the plane. The men retreated back as Coulson carefully picked his way towards the front of the plane not afraid of the wheels in front of him. The hanger was filled with the roar of the bus's six engines powering up, ready to take whatever opening it could to escape.

The men all began firing and Coulson wished he'd grabbed the assault rifle. Bullets chipped off the metal struts of the landing gear and he was sure he could hear the faint hiss of air escaping one of the tires. Looking around him he saw a crate big enough he could crouch behind to his right. Firing at the men as he moved quickly, diving into a roll behind the crate, he peered over the top and saw he had felled another couple of men, still not enough. Without warning the plane began to lift off, Coulson looked around him but saw the hanger doors were still shut. Then the fuselage was spinning over him and he covered his eyes as the force of the VTOL engines whipped up around him. The plane was now facing the opposite direction as Coulson ran back under the nose just as May changed the direction of the two engines closest to the fuselage and fired them, sending the remaining men flying to the floor and across the hangar. Spinning back round, Coulson moved out the way as it touched back down again. Coulson moved forwards and picked off the downed men while they were trying to get their bearings.

The last man had got up and ran towards the plane, Coulson spun round and fired, shooting him in the back of the neck. A sharp stabbing pain sprang up from his left leg as he dropped down to his knees. Looking up at the cockpit he could see Skye was screaming he knew he'd been hit. His own sticky blood was flowing out of his leg and drenching his trousers. Reaching behind him he felt it was a knife. Stupid man, he'd turned his back on Ward and he took advantage. Before he could try and turn he felt a heavy boot smack him round the head. He fell to his side and turned to look up at the younger man.

"Too slow old man." Ward sneered down at him.

Coulson went to reach for his gun but Ward stepped onto his injury, Coulson yelled. Even when he was stabbed through the heart he didn't yell. The shock of it got him more. The pain was almost unbearable and took all of Coulson's control to not tremble in pain. Ward leaned down and yanked the bloodied knife out. Coulson grunted in pain but refused to yell this time. Clanking was heard and Coulson looked up to see the overhead hanger door finally open as May got ready to leave. Skye was clearly protesting that they should help him but he knew they wouldn't; only Trip and May could fly the plane and they were the only two combat people. Plus they would follow his orders and leave as soon as they could. The cargo door was open again as Coulson summoned some strength and rolled, sending Ward tumbling down. Struggling to a stand, Coulson used his injured leg to send a knee smashing into Wards nose. Ward went down and Coulson didn't bother to see if he was unconscious or just stunned as he turned and limped towards the plane. May even started to spin the plane back round towards him.

Ward however was only stunned as he stood back up and levelled his own gun at Coulson and pulled the trigger. Coulson tried to fight it but he couldn't breathe as he fell to his knees and then the ground. Skye was dragged out of the cockpit by Trip and Fitz as May added more power to the engines and ascended up and out of the hangar. Coulson could only watch as his vision darkened to totally blackness. Ward looked up smiling as he watched the Bus shoot off away from them.

"Tie him up in the storage room. Get Raina in here to patch him up," Ward ordered the new wave of men coming into the hangar, "And search this place for any new files, including the computers."

The men went about following orders as Ward placed the ICER back into his holster as he watched two HYDRA agents pick up Coulson by his arms and dragged him off, trailing blood behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**

Ok so Ragtag has left me breathless from the secrets and the hilarious jokes. I still can't get over the filing cabinet one. I was going to sort out all my music files this weekend but if I see 'file transfer' I will laugh too much.

Anyway, on with the chapter. I apologize for any mistakes as this was written at about 2am after playing on Star Wars The Old Republic on my Republic Trooper called Agentcoulson of the Avengers Initiative guild on the Red Eclipse server (Yes I was geeking out that I was allowed to have that lol – also the Empire side guild is Avengers Assemble). I was shattered after saving my friends life as he ran into every enemy unit in his way but I had to write this down. Yes I am a female gamer.

Hope you enjoy and leave reviews as I love getting them.

**Chapter 6**

When Coulson next woke up, his whole body ached and his leg throbbed like mad. He soon realized that he had both his wrists tied together and he was dangling from the ceiling in the storage room. He didn't know how long he'd been here but he was sure if he stayed like this his wrists would pop from dangling. His feet could just about touch the ground but with his throbbing leg he couldn't do that for too long. The door opened and Raina sauntered over to him maintaining eye contact with him before disappearing behind him. Coulson tried to look over his shoulder but the twisting motion only ah rivalled his leg. Raina returned to face him, water bottle in hand offering it to him. Coulson grimaced not trusting it was 100% water, Raina seemed to notice so took swig herself. Offering it back to him, Coulson nodded and she stepped closer to him, a little too close for his liking as she brought the bottle to his lips and tilted the bottle. Coulson didn't want to drink too much but as the cool liquid washed over his lips and tongue he drank thirstier. Breathless he was gasping for more but he sank the bottle before he knew it. Raina placed the empty bottle on a side and studied him. Coulson didn't like that much, not the fact she was looking at him but it was who was looking at him he didn't like. His only self-conscience part of him with his looks was his scar on his chest which wasn't on show. Raina moved to his injuries leg and examined the stitched wound causing Coulson to hiss.

"It's healing nicely." Raina commented.

"Why do you care?" Coulson practically spat at her.

"Questions need answers. Dead men can't talk seeing as there is no more GH325." Raina said a bit seductively to him before heading out the room.

Coulson tried tugging the chains but they didn't budge. Looking around him he tried to see if there was something he could try to swing himself to for leverage but there was nothing. Clearly Ward had thought this out. Coulson tried to sleep but it was difficult, his arms ached much more and he was losing feeling in his hands from blood not being able to flow properly. Wriggling his fingers only caused pins and needles. The door opened again and this time it was Ward who stepped into the room. Ward had a sneer on his face as he confidently walked behind Coulson.

"Garrett is gone, why are you still working for HYDRA?" Coulson asked.

Ward's reply was a punch to his injured leg, not hard just enough to ignited the pain receptors. Coulson gritted his teeth but made no sound.

"I ask the questions. We've been searching through the files here. Found something really interesting." Ward said from behind him.

Coulson just remained silent.

"Either Skye was really sloppy on deleting files or Simmons isn't as smart as we would believe." Ward continued.

Again Coulson remained silent but he could feel his pulse race.

"So who's the father of Skye's baby?" Ward asked.

Coulson closed his eyes not wanting to answer. After a few moments, Ward punched the injured leg a bit harder than before. Coulson bit his lip through the pain and quickly got his breathing back to normal. Again Ward waited before getting no reply and punching harder again. Coulson groaned as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Is it Fitz? No. He's too puppy eyed over Simmons." Ward said as he walked around Coulson to face him, "Triplett then? No he liked Simmons too. Lucky girl has two guys chasing her."

Coulson still refused to answer, Ward punched him in the gut causing another groan, Coulson tried to return his breathing to normal but his gut wouldn't allow it just yet.

"I seriously doubt it would be you. You're too much of a gentleman to do that." Ward said as he walked back out of sight behind Coulson.

Coulson remained neutral in his expression not wanting to reveal that award had finally guessed right.

"Skye never told us. We assumed it was yours. Poor girl." Coulson eventually said smirking as he said it.

Ward punched so hard he tore open the stitches in his leg, Coulson was in absolute agony, trying hard to not scream but instead breathing hard through gritted teeth letting out a groan with each breath.

"If it was mine I wouldn't be asking who's is it." Ward snapped facing Coulson again.

"Well we don't know. We were forced to move around from motel to motel so who knows if she took comfort in one of the rooms there. She may be on my team but I'm not going to tell her who she can and can't sleep with. She's a grown up." Coulson hissed out at Ward causing the younger man to get furious.

Ward turned his back on him and headed for the door.

"All I can say is clearly you weren't good enough. Maybe May had said something to her before you kidnapped her." Coulson smirked again knowing what would happen next but just wanted to insult Ward some more.

Ward spun round and punched Coulson round the jaw, side and gut. Coulson grunted through the pain and just watched Ward step back, breathing hard. Blood filled Coulson's mouth as he spat it towards Ward, the glob hit Ward's shirt. Ward raised a fist but decided against it when he noticed the pool of blood forming on the floor. Ward stormed out and Coulson heard the door lock. A few moments later he heard Raina protest to tend to his leg but was denied access. Coulson tried to look down but couldn't see the puddle yet but he could feel it flowing down his leg again along with his consciousness.

* * *

A/N: this story has hit 3k hits and only 15 reviews by 8 different people. Wow! Interest is so low I'm disheartened and giving up on this story.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**

Thank you to all the reviews I have gotten so far:

(Orange Orange Employee, , kellz1pt5, ace, guest, mynameisagent, Rebeccam7932, Little Miss Novella, Alais Kingsleigh and TigerLilly1995).

Over 3600 views on the story and a small amount of reviews. As a friend of mine on here said if you're taking the time to keep reading it what's another 20secs to write a review to say either like or not. Though if you didn't read it then just hit back, and then find something else. Reviews make writers feel happy and make them write more.

It's only because Orange Orange Employee left a nice one that I was compelled to write this. That and finding Agents of Shield references in a star wars game showed I was either bored or just liking this show too much

**Chapter 7**

Skye had been trying to convince May to turn the plane around but she wouldn't listen. Trip ended up getting her out of the cockpit and to her bunk. It was a few hours later when the plane landed on the New York Helicarrier. Agent May still ignored Skye's protest as she headed for Maria Hill on the runway to notify her that Coulson had been captured and Providence was in HYDRA's hands. Skye barged past to face Hill.

"We have to rescue him." Skye tried pleading with the other agent.

"No we don't, he's been captured and there is nothing we can do." Hill replied sternly.

"We're on a fucking flying aircraft carrier! There is something WE can do." Skye's anger was getting the better of her.

"If what you say is true then there is no reason to believe that Coulson is still alive. The only reason he was kept alive last time was because he had information they wanted. Now they know that information he has nothing of value." Hill replied, her expression looked like stone, even more so then May's.

"So that's it? You're just going to write him off?" Skye asked clearly furious.

"He was a good man, one of the best. He'll always be remembered." Hill replied as if she was reading off a card.

Turning away she walked back into the Helicarrier expecting them all to follow. May choose that moment to pull Skye aside to question her.

"Ok Skye, spill it. What's really going on between you and Coulson? Why are you so damn adamant to get him back?" May asked, glaring at the younger woman.

Skye bit down the instance remark revealing what the relationship was between them and instead told a somewhat truth.

"He said he'd be there for me through this difficult time. I know I have all of you guys for support but he's the closest thing to a father figure I've had." Skye almost sobbed.

Saying it out loud she tried to figure out how the father/daughter relationship had changed to lovers. Possibly because they worked so well and could figure out what the other was thinking or what they wanted the other to do. Hell she was his protégé. Or it could have just been that both needed a moment to feel alive as they had both been through hell and back. May took a moment to think it through; she could believe what Skye was telling her. May only walked away and as usual she had to try and interpret that, but seeing as May hadn't tried to fire some rule or regulation or order at her she guessed May believed her. Simmons went up to her along with Fitz telling her she should remain calm and not get stressed out which Skye figured was easy for her to say. The team followed Hill to the command centre of the Helicarrier as May now being the highest ranking member of the team debriefed Hill on what happened at Providence.

"Typical Coulson, always trying to be the next Captain America. It's what got him killed before the Battle of New York." Hill said after the report.

"Well because of his courage we're all alive so show some respect." Skye snapped.

Hill spun to face the young woman and glared at her, arms behind her back.

"I am respecting the man. Yes you're alive and you're the one wanting to rush in to retrieve a body. What he'd sacrificed would be undone." Hill replied back, authority in her voice.

"He's alive!" Skye yelled back.

"Last warning Agent Skye. Either back down or I will force you to back down." Hill ordered as she stood toe to toe.

"What you going to do about it?" Skye countered.

May grabbed Skye's arm and pulled her out of the room. Before Skye could be out of visual she stuck a finger up at Hill not caring.

"That's it Skye I have no choice but to order you to stand down and get the hell off this boat." May ordered Skye.

Skye couldn't believe it. She was in the place that could help get Coulson back and she was being chucked off because they wouldn't help.

"What?" Skye said still in disbelief.

"Get out of here, head into the city and cool off." May told her.

May walked away back into the room leaving a bewildered Skye behind. Simmons, Trip and Fitz had been waiting outside seeing as S.H.I.E.L.D. still wanted to keep only supervisors attending meetings then they can tell whoever is needed.

"Come on Skye, we'll help pack a bag for you." Simmons said to her as she wrapped an arm round her shoulders guiding her back to the plane.

Once there they had packed a bag for Skye and waited with her until there was a Quinjet free to take her over to New York. While they were waiting May returned and had a bag with her. Skye felt angry that she didn't stand up for her.

"Why didn't you help me?" Skye said to here trying to keep the anger back because of Simmons fussing.

"I am helping you." May replied as she handed the bag to Skye.

Skye was confused as she opened the bag and saw her old laptop inside.

"Now get out there and find proof that Coulson is alive. Hill won't budge unless there is actual proof he's alive. Seeing as you found him last time with a handicap, I'm sure you'll do fine this time." May told her letting a small rare smile onto her lips.

Skye couldn't help it as she threw her arms round her and hugged her. May only let the smile stay a little longer before pulling Skye away.

"Sorry, I blame hormones." Skye smiled for the first time in a while now.

"Come on, I'm to fly you over along with the rest of the team. You're all on a few days leave to get over what's happened recently. But unofficially by me, protect Skye till she can find Coulson. I have to stay here so please hurry." May added before walking away and off the bus towards a nearby Quinjet.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** See lots of reviews mean faster updates. Thanks again to those that reviewed.

**Chapter 8**

Agent May dropped them off and headed back to the Helicarrier, the team found a decent hotel with Wi-Fi and let Skye work. Shield had gotten back their satellites and Skye checked them to see they hadn't left between then and now. Trying to hack in proved tricky but Skye had this feeling that the encryption was familiar. Carefully she hunted through the systems until she found the cameras. She began saving data so when they could prove Coulson was alive they had some intelligence of what they were going up against.

She found the right camera and was shocked at the state Coulson was in, hanging by his arms from the ceiling. His head was hung low and she could almost mistake him for being dead. Ward was there pacing in front of him clearly interrogating him and clearly didn't get the answer he wanted as Ward punched him in the ribs. Coulson tried to recoil from the pain but he had nowhere to go. Then Raina stepped into view and walked up to Coulson, clearly Ward had beaten him into submissive.

"What she doing to him?" Agent Triplett asked.

They watched as she walked away with a syringe in her hand. She placed it carefully onto a tray and walked away.

"Oh my god." Skye gasped as she leaned away from the screen.

"What?" Simmons asked looking worried.

"She's trying to recreate GH-325 using Coulson's blood. We have to get him out of there." Skye explains.

"That's bad, that's very bad." Simmons replied as she paced behind them.

Trip calls May as Skye sends what she has to her. May places her phone down on the holotable in the command centre on the Bus. Hill stood on the other side watching the video feeds Skye had got. Hill clearly didn't look happy that she had been proven wrong. All of a sudden the data stopped and Skye was furiously tapping on the keys to get it back but she couldn't crack back in, someone was fighting back..

"What the hell?" Fitz cried out in shock.

"We've been busted." Skye replied as she shut the laptop down before they could trace her.

"Now what?" Trip asked.

Back on the Helicarrier, May looked across the table towards Hill. Hill looked up at her sighing.

"You have a mission, bring back Coulson." Hill replied.

Trip ended the call as they all packed up and went to leave but decided to grab a bite to eat, Skye grabbed a bit of food saying she hadn't been eating much recently. Simmons began lecturing her on that while they waited for May. Before May left, Hill gave her another order, to bring in Ward and if possible Raina though Raina was a dead or alive case. May picked them up and brought them back to the Bus. While they all threw they're bags into their bunks, May was getting wheels up and heading back to Providence. It was a tense few hours of flight. May set the auto-pilot early on to brief them, it was decided Trip and May would head in only leaving everyone else behind. Skye reckoned she could hack back in again and shut defences and open doors or lock some to keep as many mobs away from them.

Once there Skye was able to get in easy enough, the turrets weren't even active and doors opened on command. Trip and May realised Ward had left in a hurry as there was cases and crates scattered around the place. After a few minutes of searching May reported in.

"They're gone." May said into her comms.

Skye couldn't believe it. Coulson was gone once again and they had no idea where. May moved the plane into the hangar though they left the door wide open. Triplett began searching the perimeter for any signs of where they had gone. Skye stood in the room where they had been holding Coulson. The chains still hung from the ceiling. Blood, dried and recent spattered the floor in places. A bloodied knife was embedded onto a table by the door. May walked in and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll find him." May told her in as much a convincing voice as she could.

May led her away and into the mess hall where FitzSimmons were waiting. Triplett's voice came over the comms then.

"They disappeared by helicopter. By the way the snow was pushed away I'd say it was a Chinook helicopter or even an Osprey." Trip reported.

"Now how are we going to find them?" Fitz asked.

Skye ran to Koenig's old office and tried finding satellite data of them escaping but found nothing. Trip returned looking cold and made himself a coffee.

"Found something strange in the snow and it looks like Coulson caused a struggle. There was blood in the snow and I found this." Trip said as he held up a small black blade.

Fitz grabbed it and recognised it instantly.

"It's one of the D.W.A.R.F.s!" Fitz yelled in excitement before rushing into the hangar thinking he had seen a familiar case.

Everyone followed him as he looked around the scattered cases and crates before pulling open a case and finding an empty slot. Fitz was laughing, one of his little drones was missing and he was laughing.

"Coulson took Sleepy! We can find him!" Fitz was happy as he grabbed the control tablet.

"Wait, do not activate him just yet, give it a bit of time so they are settled somewhere. If they realise he has it, they'll only move again." May ordered.

The team realised it made sense. From the damaged rotor, Fitz doubted Sleepy would be able to fly well but he could be tracked. The team got back on the bus and got in the air. Skye got some much needed sleep while Fitz was waiting to activate his drone.

* * *

**A/N:** Also nice reviews mean things go well for the team.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Yes its short but its taken me all day just to write this. Mainly because I can't sit still knowing in about 35mins its season finale of Agents of SHIELD in the UK.

Spoilers for Star Wars Old Republic, The Jedi Knight storyline you end up meeting a Deathlok type character. And my Imperial agent has been lied to by his own spy agency, given an experimental drug and memories altered... I'm laughing as I named him Agent'coulson, I'm roleplaying without having to do a thing hehe

**Chapter 9**

Agent Coulson was thrown into his new cell in the new base as though he was a ragdoll. He curled up before hitting the floor; the force sent him rolling onto his back as he slid a short distance before stopping. The heavy metal door closed behind him and he could only just hear the electronic beep of the locks. Looking around he saw it was a bare room, a mattress dumped in the corner and a tiny slit in the wall was his only window and air vent. But what he liked most was the lack of cameras. Rolling on his knees, he struggled to stand up, brushing dust of him which proved pointless. Carefully he undid his shirt over his stomach and pulled out his smuggled companion. He winced in pain as he noticed he had a couple of tiny stab wound from the blades but thankfully they weren't too deep. He made a mental note to praise Fitz on his design as the little drone had survived almost completely intact, hidden under his shirt. Of course Coulson had to try and hide the fact that he had the peculiar bump by keeping his shirt slightly loose, sucking in his stomach and being hunched over. The trick had worked and now he had to find a place to hide it. Looking over at the mattress, Coulson pulled it away from the wall enough to leave a gap between it and the wall and tucked 'Sleepy' into the corner. Coulson looked at the small window and noticed it was just high enough for the little drone to escape through if needs be. Looking out he saw it wasn't outside he was looking into, just a corridor. Sighing he sat down on the mattress and waited for something to happen next.

A couple of hours later a burly guard delivered a tray of food and water for him. Coulson shouted back asking for more which was true, he was starving and thirsty but he conserved the water and ate sparingly. It was later on in the day when he heard a beep come from beside his bed. Coulson checked the window and saw no one and picked up the little drone.

"God I hope you guys can hear me." Coulson muttered as he held the little drone in his open hand.

All four rotors activated and even with one missing the little drone achieved flight and spun round the other way, its little light blinking at him as he realised he had it facing away from him.

"Can you hear me? Blink once for yes." Coulson asked his voice still quiet in case anyone was wondering.

The light blinked once. Coulson seemed to break apart as he fell forwards. Sleepy backed up as Coulson dropped to his knees and tried to control the sob his body wanted to wrack. Sleepy flew down to his face as the light blinked in a series and Coulson recognised it was Morse code.

HANG-IN-THERE

Coulson merely nodded.

WHERE-ARE-YOU

"Don't know. There is a window in the wall but all I see is a corridor." Coulson replied.

The drone flew over to the door and scanned it before flying over to the window. The little drone just got through and was gone.

"Get me out of here." Coulson called after it.

Coulson wasn't disturbed again and he tried to sleep on the mattress but it wasn't at all comfy. In fact the floor was more comfy. His wrists were hurting from the chains and as he tried to use the mattress as the pillow while lying on the floor it still didn't feel right under his head. He took off his shirt and screwed it into a ball and placed that down between his head and mattress making it a bit bearable even if he realised he really needed a shower. His undershirt was bloodied but he didn't care. Fitz's little drone was his life line of hope that would help him escape. Coulson had finally drifted off by the time the little drone returned. It hovered over him as it scanned him before settling down in it hidden corner.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thanks so much to all the reviews though I was a bit worried I had hit a bit of writers block. Part of this was written on my iPad and then it decided to delete the file before I could send it to my pc.

On with Coulson's rescue! Please read and review.

**Chapter 10**

On the Bus the team was reviewing all of Sleepy's data. The little drone had proved very useful getting all the information and layout. Simmons reviewed Coulson's scan and could tell the man needed medical care. May was already laying in a course and arranged for a re-fuel mid-flight as they headed to a remote part of New Mexico. Once they crossed the border, May landed the plane so they could plan and drop off Agent Triplett and his team. Trip drove the SUV through the valley ahead of the Bus even though it had been perfectly planned that the Bus would overtake them about half a mile before the west gate. May stayed on board with Simmons. Fitz had his golden retrievers just in case Sleepy got separated from Coulson and a few sticky explosives to pop open doors. Simmons was looking for Skye when she realised she wasn't on board. Running to the cockpit to alert May it was too late to abort. Turrets on the compounds wall were already turning to face the Bus. May activated the weapons and fired the missiles into the wall, gate and compound, creating confusion. May switched the Bus into hoover mode and tilted the nose up and blasted the engines. All six engines let loose a powerful force of air, vehicles rolled and tipped while people were sent flying. Before the Bus could slam backwards into the valley behind, May tipped the nose back down, the engines clearing away the debris round the gate before jetting off again, firing a couple more missiles into the confusion. Trip drove in and had to admire that May sure knew that plane well enough to create so much noise.

Inside the compound before the assault struck, Coulson was in his room awake and alert. He'd put Sleepy on the window slit after having been warned of the imminent attack. Sure enough the alarms blared round the place as it picked up the Bus on radar. Ward came into his room clearly not happy and wanting to know how they had tracked him. Sleepy whirred from the window letting its presence be known.

"Fitz might not look it but he has the best tracking system." Coulson answered.

Before Ward could say anything, Sleepy blinded him with his light. Coulson darted for the door as Ward fired blind at the noise of footsteps and whirring. An electronic fizz and crash later and Coulson knew Sleepy had taken a bullet. Coulson was by the door when he was shoved back in by a palm to his chest. Sliding on his back, Coulson tried to breathe through the pain as he looked at his assailant, a centipede soldier. Coulson scrabbled backwards putting Ward between himself and the soldier trying to figure out how he was going to get out of this one. The second set of missiles struck and had hit the building causing it shake and the wall behind him gone. Picking up the damaged Sleepy, Coulson bolted out of the demolished wall and broke into a sprint into chaos. Ward had blinked away the last of the blindness and gave chase with the super soldier behind him.

Arid smoke and fire choked the compound as Coulson ran not sure if he'd lost ward or was in fact running into more men. He was wheezy from the blow to his chest and the smoke. His eyes stung but he still picked his way through the camp. Taking a moment to breathe as he got down on his knees to be away from the smoke as possible, he didn't realise the golden glow over him was one of Fitz golden retrievers.

Skye had smuggled herself into the back of the SUV, ignoring everyone telling her to stay on the Bus where she'd be save. Once the SUV stopped and Fitz opened up the back to let the golden retrievers out, he saw Skye as she jumped out and ran out into the chaos.

"What the hell!" Fitz yelled as he tried to grab Skye but she was already gone.

"What is it?" Trip asked.

"Skye has just jumped out and run!" Fitz Fitz as he pointed over his shoulder in the way she had gone.

"Shit!" Trip cursed looking around him but couldn't see her, "Deploy the retrievers now. We have to find her and Coulson and get out of here."

Fitz got to work sending the retrievers off. Trip and Fitz looked around them; every now and then Fitz would check his tablet for signals.

"Got them. Coulson is out of the building running north while Skye is running into the building." Fitz said as he showed Trip the monitor.

Skye was more important but Coulson was the closest. Fitz stayed put as Trip made the short distance over to Coulson and bring him over to help search the building for Skye.

Ward was trying to find Coulson but between the swirls of the pillowing smoke he spotted Trip and Skye running into the building he had just fled from. Trip had run ahead of him and he spotted the glowing ball above Coulson. Taking a rough aim, he fired a shot towards him, hearing a yelp of pain he could only guess he had hit Coulson or someone running away, either way both deserved it. The smoke cleared enough for him to see Coulson on his knees, clutching his left shoulder. Coulson turned to face him, daggers in his eyes just as Trip got to him. Trip must have told him about Skye as the look of anger was replaced with fear. Ward turned and ran back inside. Coulson gave chase with Trip following him.

Skye was wandering around the building. She thought she had memorized Sleepy data of the lay out but so far it was proving difficult. Skye was even beginning to wonder if one of her right turns should have a left. She heard her name being called and in these concrete halls all she could tell was it was male. But as the male voice owner got closer it became clear it wasn't the man she was hoping for. She dove into a side room and waited hoping he wasn't searching room by room. Ward was coming towards her, chanting her name, taunting her.

"Skye." Ward drawled out her name each time, "Where are you?"

Ward didn't bother with checking the rooms he knew she would eventually show herself. Skye could hear his heavy footsteps walk past her door; she held her breath, hand over her mouth, rocking back in forth to stop herself from shaking.

"Skye." Ward continued to drawl, "You don't need to hide from me."

Ward could hear Coulson and Trip coming towards him; he grabbed a grenade from his belt. Ward guessed he was approaching wherever Skye was hiding as he turned to face Coulson and Trip. Ward looked menacing even crazy.

"Skye." Ward drawled one last time as he pulled the pin, "Say goodbye Agent Coulson."

Ward went to throw the grenade just as Skye walked out of the door between himself and Coulson. Ward was shocked as the grenade slipped out of his fingers to land in the distance between him and Skye. They would both be caught in the explosion. Coulson and Trip couldn't believe it as the event seemed to play in slow motion, Coulson felt helpless as he reached out towards Skye knowing she was too far away. The blast sent Ward flying back, the grenade landing a bit closer to him then he had thought. Pain tore through him. the centipede soldier came up from behind and carried him away.

Skye had hit the ground unconscious, Coulson reached her first. He was frightened to touch her in case his touch would finally shatter her. Trip got to her and checked her pulse, she was alive but weak. The blast didn't catch her completely, more the concussive force. Even still, there were cuts on her and clothes tore. Coulson picked her up in his arms and held her close to him pressing his forehead to hers before following Trip out of the building.

"Fitz, get the car started! Skye has been injured." Trip reported.

Fitz turned the engine on as Simmons voice was heard over the comms.

"What happened?" Simmons asked panic in her voice knowing there was more than one life at stake.

"Ward threw a grenade. He was hit too but a soldier got him out. We're heading to you as fast as possible." Trip replied.

They got to the SUV and Coulson sat in the back still holding Skye tightly to him, whispering to her to hang in there. Fitz looked worried in the front seat as he looked towards Trip who was driving and into the back of the SUV. Trip drove the SUV to best he could, sand billowed up around him obscuring Coulson's view except what was in front of him. The black image of the Bus looked too far out, a small speck in the distance but it was looming fast, growing as they got closer. Tears streaked Coulson face as he battled what he knew was going to happen and what he hoped would be a miracle. The SUV jolted as Trip drove onto the ramp. The doors open and Trip took Skye from Coulson's arms and carried her to Simmons in the med lab. Coulson ordered the Bus be airborne and to the nearest hospital but the Bus was already moving before he opened his mouth. The Bus was on autopilot as May walked into the longue area where Simmons had ordered him to go as he was proving to be a distraction then help. May looked at him and could see he still hadn't tended to his wounds. She saw the bullet wound to his shoulder and knew it was pure adrenaline that had made him even able to carry Skye for as long as he had. May went to treat his wounds but he pushed her away not wanting to be treated till Skye was. May gave him a warning look but he ignored it. May walked up to him and slapped him hard round the face stunning him. While he touched his stinging cheek she set to work on treating his wounds. Coulson relented as he sank down to the sofa, his elbows on his knees and face in his hands knowing this was not a good day for him.

**A/N:** *Grabs a shield and scuttles away*


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thanks once again for the reviews even though I was sure I was on the wanted list of writers to murder lol (though may still be after this lol). But I didn't want to leave you waiting too long so I've been writing this most of today. My only break was tonight's Game of Thrones episode and work.

I will say I have no personal experience of this loss or know anyone that has gone through it I still found the start of this chapter very difficult to write and even after reading and tinkering with the odd word or sentence I still don't feel happy or it's just me worrying I haven't portrayed it right. But you are the readers and reviewers so if I got it wrong I'm sure you'll let me know.

**Chapter 11**

Emotions were high among the team. Skye had survived with broken bones and cuts and concussion. She was starting to wake up after a few days at a medical facility. Simmons was going to break the news to her but Coulson said he would. He walked in stiff as his shoulder was still strapped up from the bullet and his chest was also wrapped up thanks to a few cracked ribs. They ended up re-opening his leg wound as it was threatening to become infected and wasn't stitched up very well. The rest of the team waited outside, looking in through a small window. Coulson walked in and sat down on the far side of the bed putting his back to his team. He'd tried to maintain a brick wall image that this news hadn't hit him as personally as it had. Now sitting beside Skye, back to his team, he was cracking.

"AC?" Skye croaked and Coulson turned to face her, handing her a glass of water from beside her bed.

Coulson just watched and took the glass from her once she had enough. Skye took in her surroundings and saw he was patched up. She tried to sit up but she felt pain across her lower abdomen. Fear was etched in her face as she placed a hand there. Coulson saw the silent question on her face as he opened his mouth to answer but couldn't say the words. He'd done it times before with agents but this was his own and he couldn't bring himself to say it. Instead his wall shattered and he broke in tears. It was all Skye needed to know that their child was gone. Ignoring the pain, she sat up, tears streaming as Coulson leaned towards her and they both held each other, ignoring the team watching and cried into each other's shoulders muttering their worries and both trying to blame themselves.

Outside the team watched the scene unfold before them. Simmons had tears in her eyes as Fitz placed a hand on the small of her back. Trip leaned on the wall wanting revenge. May watched the pair as she put the pieces together from their reactions.

"Why would Ward want to kill his own unborn child?" Simmons asked between sniffles.

"Because it wasn't his." May answered still staring at Coulson mainly.

They turned to face her confused.

"Coulson was the father." May answer turning to them.

They looked shocked but looking back at them, Coulson's reactions made sense. They were still in shock when Coulson emerged from the room a little while later after deciding to let Skye rest and she wanted to be a lone for a bit. May was the only one who didn't look shocked but Coulson could see in her eyes that she knew the truth.

"Why didn't you tell us?" She asked him out right.

Coulson sighed knowing he shouldn't have let this secret go on for as long as it did. He looked at his feet before looking back up still not sure of his own voice.

"I'm sorry. I know we should have trusted…" Coulson started before being interrupted.

"Trust? You were the one that had ago at me about trust and yet it's ok for you to do the same thing?" May snapped back angry.

"I was trying to protect Skye." Coulson admitted, "I mean look at their faces," Coulson motioned to the three younger agents who decided they'd best shut their jaws now, "If this is their reaction now, do you think there would have been support earlier?"

"Yes." Simmons replied quietly before saying it more confidently.

Coulson had known his argument as weak and his team had proven that once again they were stronger then they looked. Coulson hung his head in shame for seriously doubting his team this much. He'd been so worked up about the age gap he forgot that the things his people dealt with daily, an age gap was nothing compared to traitors, aliens and superheroes. May walked away from him not caring if she barged into his injured shoulder. FitzSimmons and Triplett followed also but didn't barge into him though Trip looked seriously disappointed at him. Once everyone was gone Coulson turned to look through the window at Skye who had heard everything. When Skye looked away from him he realized he'd very possibly had lost her too. He headed back to his office as stayed there not coming out unless he had to and mainly when everyone was sleeping. It took time but finally Skye was released from hospital and told to take it easy. Coulson stood on the walkway as the team welcomed her back. The air went tense when the team realized he was there and they shot daggers up at him. Coulson got the message and went to leave but Trip had stopped him. He had thought May would be the one to kick his ass but she was more subtle then that.

"Hey sir! A moment." Trip called up to him.

FitzSimmons took Skye into their lab. May looked at Triplett and figured that he was going to say or do something she had wanted to do herself and left him in peace in the cargo hold. Coulson walked down the stairs and paused momentarily when he saw the lab door closed.

"This is your fault." Trip accused Coulson getting his attention before continuing, "You knew Skye was pregnant with your kid and you gave her a reason to go into the field, with your selfish act back at Providence to try and be a hero. Worse it was your own kid. What sort of man let alone a father risks the life of not only the mother of his unborn child but the unborn child as well?"

Coulson was glaring, anger clearly showing as he walked the last few steps.

"But I blame myself as well. I should of called May to bring the Bus closer, maybe if Skye got aid sooner..." Triplett never finished his sentence.

FitzSimmons squeal alerted him as he looked up at the charging Coulson. The punch was so hard it sent Triplett reeling backwards to the far wall. Coulson advanced still but this time Triplett was ready as he rolled away before the next punch landed. A dull thud resounded round the hold as Coulson's fist hit the wall. Triplett low kicked at Coulson's legs, knocking him flat on his back. Triplett used the moment to get back on his feet. Coulson was growling with anger as he also scrabbled up. Lunging at the younger man he threw two punches that were too wild to even hit and Triplett dodged them both before gut punching Coulson. Coulson took a step back, hand on his stomach, a gurgled breath escaping his lips as he tried to growl and grunt at the same time. Catching his breath quickly he looked at Triplett who jumped up and roundhouses him round the jaw. Coulson was sprawled on the floor, blood coming from his mouth, split lip and nose. Coulson was on his hands and knees as he spat blood onto the floor and resisted the urge snort out the blood in his nose to clear it. Coulson struggled to his feet and looked like he was ready to collapse as he stood there staggering. Triplett went back on the offensive only to realize Coulson was faking as he brought a knee to Triplett's chest. With the man winded, Coulson slammed the side of his hand into the back of his knees; Triplett felt his legs feel boneless as he dropped to his knees helpless. Coulson stood behind him as he put him in a choke hold. Triplett was struggling to breathe as Coulson kept a death grip on him and leaned closer to his ear.

"It was Skye's choice to go in not mine. Also you should have called May as I do blame you for that." Coulson sneered before throwing the now coughing Triplett on the floor.

FitzSimmons was in shock at seeing Coulson lose it. The bloodied older agent just stormed back upstairs. Skye had fled the scene halfway through the fight taking the route up through avionics and into her bunk. Her door was open when Coulson walked into the lounge area. He looked across at Skye, breathing hard and clearly shaken he had done such a thing. They were both frozen for a moment but as Coulson reached out to her and took a step forward she closed the door. Coulson was still stood there, arm outstretched not believe she still shut him out. He dropped his hand as it slapped against his leg in defeat as he walked over to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked a right mess. He hadn't shaved since his capture and now his face was covered in blood. Taking off his jacket and shirt and throwing them on the floor. Coulson got to work of cleaning himself up. He emerged from the room topless and Skye's door was open again. Quietly he walked over and peered inside. Her back was to the door and she was curled up in a ball crying. Coulson felt his heart break seeing her like this.

"I'm sorry." Coulson muttered causing Skye to turn in fright as she saw Coulson in her doorway breakdown onto the floor; he sat on the floor with a leg either side of the door frame, "I'm sorry for everything."

Skye watched as he broke further into tears. A part of her wanted to comfort him as he was feeling their loss as much as her. But it was the pain of knowing she had run in after him risking everything that held her back. Coulson was taking the brunt of the anger from the team but if she had stayed in that room maybe it wouldn't be like this. Before she knew it Coulson had gone deathly silent, she got off her bed and crouched down beside him and peered up to his face. His eyes were closed but his breathing was slow making her think he was asleep. Even in sleep his eyes had black circles around them. May walked up from the safety of the lab and saw them both. She wondered over as she knelt down beside him.

"He hasn't slept since you were in hospital, guess it's finally caught up with him." May spoke as she tried to figure out how best to get him somewhere where no one will hear him screaming when he woke.

This was a first for Coulson but he'd been in other situations that had rattled his core and he'd woken up screaming. May tried to see if Triplett would help her but his reply was only if he could drop him up the stairs as pay back. In the end they decided to leave him where he was. Triplett and FitzSimmons stayed in the lab as Skye joined May in the cockpit. It was a few hours later when they heard Coulson shout Skye's name before barreling into the cockpit and seeing Skye was there. Trying to act calm he'd asked if they were alright to which May just looked round at him over the top of her sunglasses.

"Get out Coulson. Get changed and get a coffee for Skye and me." May ordered.

Coulson was stunned and went to say something but May just flicked a switch while Skye stared out the window trying to stifle a giggle. Coulson walked out and did as he was told. May just shook her head before turning to Skye.

"Want to talk?" May asked her.

Skye just shrunk back into herself. May flew the Bus for a little while longer letting her have her peace. Coulson returned changed and two coffees in one hand and obviously his own in the other. May took hers and placed it beside her as Skye carefully took hers trying hard to not touch Coulson's hand. It wasn't lost on Coulson as he wrapped both his hands around his warm mug. Neither of the two women spoke to him and Coulson retreated away. Once May was sure he was out of ear shot she turned to face Skye once more.

"Talk to him Skye. I assume you're still together." May said to her.

Skye tried to hold back tears as she thought on their relationship and realized it was never defined just something that happened between them.

"I don't think we are." Skye replied.

Behind the door, Coulson was in fact in ear shot and heard Skye's answer. He suddenly felt angry but not at Skye but at Ward. Maybe he was being selfish but he wanted to see the man suffer along with HYDRA. He retreated into his office and occasionally into the Command Centre trying to piece together information on HYDRA cells around the world. He'd heard the phrase 'cut off one head, two more will take its place' but right now he wanted to cut the legs out from beneath them before doing that. The team watched over the next couple of weeks, Coulson seemed to be a darker person, plotting and scheming. Occasionally he would disappear at night and return early morning after a solo mission that he hadn't told his team about. All Coulson wanted was revenge. Revenge for Skye, revenge for his murdered child.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the reviews though I am sorry I caused a few tears, I did warn in the summery a personal tragedy. But seeing as you've all been so good reviewing I thought I'd better give our pair a break and some alone time. While I was working, driving round the Wiltshire countryside, I kept hearing Sam Smith's Stay with me song and I guess it got me writing this chapter much quicker than id thought I would. Please read and review.

**Chapter 12**

After a few weeks, Skye had finally found a possible lead on Ward. The bastard had survived. Skye went to see if May would pass the information onto Coulson as she still didn't want to see or talk to him. She felt guilty for her actions that had cost them their child. She didn't think he deserved someone like that beside him. Walking into the cockpit she found it was empty; the view was the hangar they were currently parked in. Cautiously she knocked on May's bunk an opened the door, empty too. Walking round the Bus she found the whole place was empty. The SUV was gone and so was Lola which meant Coulson was out too. Clearly on one of his revenge missions that he didn't tell anyone about till afterwards. May had scolded him every time for it but he didn't listen, just retreated to his office and shut the door. Another reason she didn't want to see Coulson, he was self-destructing and she felt responsible for it. She felt it was his anger of her that he re-directed at HYDRA, not that they didn't deserve it either.

She found a note from Simmons saying they had all gone into town and she was welcome to join them as they weren't planning on coming back anytime soon. Clearly Coulson's actions had pissed them off to the point of leaving. Skye considering leaving, permanently but the team always asked to stay that she belonged her. She heard the distinct engine of Lola and ducked into the back of the lab before it came onto the ramp. Peering round she saw Coulson get out and storm upstairs. Biting the bullet she decided to give the information and then join the rest of the team. She stopped in front of his door and saw it was slightly open. Tentatively she opened the door.

"Oh fuck off Mel! I'm getting pissed off with..." Coulson yelled as he turned round to face May only to see it Skye, "Skye, I'm sorry I didn't realize who it was, so sorry."

Skye was still a bit frozen in the doorway. Coulson was sat in his chair, jacket and tie missing, top buttons undone and his handgun sat on the desk and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He but the bottle down and Skye noted no glasses anywhere so he'd been drinking from the bottle which screamed not him. His shirt was rumbled and his hair a mess and the possible sign of a bruised cheek on his face. Skye went to say something but in end just dropped the file on his desk and turned to leave. Coulson stood up and round his desk quicker then she could escape.

"Please wait Skye. I just want to talk. Please." Coulson pleaded.

"Why would I want to in your state right now?" Skye replied guest urging at his disheveled state.

Coulson looked down and for the first time in weeks felt ashamed of his actions.

"I'm sorry Skye. I just wanted to cause them pain." Coulson replied.

"Because of me?" Skye asked him.

Coulson was confused; he didn't hate her at all.

"Because I stupidly walked into Ward's trap and paid the price." Skye could feel the tears prick her eyes.

"Oh Skye, I don't hate you at all." Coulson replied as he stepped closer to her.

Skye broke into tears and Coulson wrapped her up in a hug letting his own tears fall. Skye breathed him in, missing the contact but still afraid. She couldn't smell the whiskey on his breath so she must have walked in before he could take a sip. Skye eventually broke the hug and stepped back her hands on his arms and looked at him. He was a right state but she had been putting off talking to him for far too long.

"Is there anywhere we can go and talk?" Skye asked him.

Coulson nodded immediately just glad to have her in his company once more. He was surprised she let him stand so close for that long but he would take anything she offered right now if it meant being near her.

"Is it alright if I grab a quick shower and change?" Coulson asked her.

Skye nodded and walked out of his office and headed downstairs. Coulson came down with some fresh clothes which wasn't a suit and walked into the shower room behind the galley. He wasn't in there long as he emerged in jeans, t-shirt and a short jacket. He looked human in civilian clothes but his eyes showed he was vulnerable right now, an emotional wreck much like herself she imagined. They went down to the cargo hold and got into Lola. Coulson drove in silence, occasionally glancing over at Skye who smiled nervously at him when she caught him. The sun was starting to set and Coulson headed for the coast eventually stopping down a side road that lead to a quiet area overlooking the sea and the sunset. He parked up and waited patiently, Skye looked quite scared beside him.

"You ok?" Coulson asked her.

"Yeah, just give me a minute alone please." Skye replied as the emotions and being in the car close to Coulson was a tad overwhelming.

Coulson nodded and exited the car and headed over to the edge of the water. It was a rock outcrop that he was on edged with railings. He walked over to the railing hearing his feet scuff on the gravel ground kicking up dust. He leant on them and stared out to sea his mind was on Skye. He knew it was the pain of loss that had kept her away from him but he wanted nothing more than to be back in her arms again. He wasn't asking for them to jump straight into bed again, or car seat, but he wanted to rekindle what they had. 

The sun was setting over the ocean. Agent Phil Coulson was leaning on the railing, one leg behind the other, watching it letting his mind wander absently. The sky was filled with oranges, yellows and even up to purple overhead. The clouds were dark orange and as Coulson stared at them his mind made them look like islands and the lighter orange of the sky was the sea. For a rare moment he let his mind imagine one of these cloud islands as a paradise. Trees and sandy beaches, waterfalls running into pools and rivers, birds or all shapes and sizes and animal calls all around making it seem peaceful. Not alien or threatening. Then he dropped his gaze down to the city and even out here he could hear the odd siren or other loud city noises. Letting out a sigh his imaginary island was gone as he looked further down and into the water below. The sunset's colours were playing over the rippling water as he wanted his mind to wander again but no such luck. His life had been a rollercoaster recently, Skye's news had brought some hope that he could lead a normal life and he was rising up slowly. Then like all rollercoaster the inevitable drop and twists before the ride stopped. He didn't like this rollercoaster in particular. Being captured and tortured then nearly losing Skye and lost a child.

He became aware of footsteps coming towards him. Coulson's training was screaming at him to turn round but he ignored it. Skye had come up behind him was now leaning on the railings beside him, close but not too close. Coulson knew it was Skye as they were the only ones out here and he gave in to his training and turned to face her, letting the corners of his mouth curve into a slight smile seeing her next to him. But he also knew things had gone really bad for them. The loss of a child and the whole team not happy that they had kept it from them rather than trusting them with the news. Blinking a few times, Coulson looked back up into the sunset. They both stood there for a while not speaking till the silence proved too much when Skye let out a sigh.

"Sorry about that." Skye said not sure where to look or if to keep her hands on the railings.

"It's ok really." Coulson replied feeling her tension beside him.

"Just feeling a bit overwhelmed. Just this is the longest I've been near you for a long time and with everything recently." Skye was fretting beside him.

"It's ok. Take your time." Coulson replied as he looked away feeling that she didn't want him looking at him at the moment.

Skye had noticed and felt angry with herself for hurting him, she didn't want to hurt him at all but she was. They remained silent again for a bit longer.

"You ok?" She asked him.

"Don't worry about me. What about you?" Coulson asked not wanting the attention looking down at his joined hands, his thumbs rubbing against each other.

"Wishing I had a Delorean." Skye replied.

Coulson let out a short chuckle. Skye smiled before turning her attention towards the sunset looking at all the pinks and yellows.

"You know I'm still here if you need me, even if it's just work." Coulson spoke up as he realized how much he'd missed having Skye near him, even if this talk ended in them being professional rather than romantically involved with each other. 

"I know. I'm just still upset about everything and it's hard to be near you after what happened." Skye replied feeling the guilt rise.

"You seem ok at the moment." Coulson whispered but Skye heard.

"It's because we needed this talk. The team still gives me odd looks and May is giving me the death stare for the past week because of what we had." Skye admitted.

"A week of May's death stares and you're still breathing?" Coulson joked to try and lighten the mood.

"I know, I'm half expecting her to jump kick me into the next century round every corner." Skye joked back. 

Coulson smiled for a few seconds before suddenly going serious.

"Please Skye; don't ever, ever feel this is your fault. If anything it's my fault, I failed you." Coulson whispered closing his eyes as the force of his guilt hit him hard dropping his head to the cooling railing.

Skye did turn to face him then wanting to protest but decided it was best not to, she didn't want to argue with him. Instead she just nodded, she didn't want him to feel guilty or make him feel this was all him as she still believed it was her fault. Coulson could feel the air between them was thick and he wanted to lighten the mood, probably because he was fed up with all this darkness around them. Coulson lifted his head and shifted his feet swapping them so the leg that was behind was now in front. They watched the sunset for a little while before Coulson broke the silence.

"I do mean it though. You are still welcome around me, even though things haven't worked out between us." Coulson said as he stared at his feet putting his hands into his pockets.

"I know. It's just a little difficult at the moment considering I know what's under that suit." Skye replied with a smile.

Coulson let out a chuckle that seemed to come from the back of his throat. Skye couldn't help letting her eyes wander up and down him before looking back out to the sunset again. Silence descended again over them. Coulson stood up straight and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. Skye continued to watch him from the corner of her eye and knew she still held feelings for the man but the pain was still there. The sky was now a mixture of purple and dark orange as the last rays gleamed over them, Skye watched him as he continued to look out before he turned to look at her. She looked into his soft eyes and noted that the light made them seem bluer with golden flecks in them. Skye smiled before looking out at the last rays, taking a deep breath. Even during this talk she had kept a bit of distance between them physically but she knew that she missed it. She was glad he was being supportive and was still there for her if she needed him. She couldn't help herself though as she wanted to hug him, and she did. She stepped over to him and slipped an arm through this and placed her hand on his back. Coulson pulled his hand out from his pocket and wrapped an arm round her too. There was still a bit of a distance between them and as much as Coulson wished he could close it he didn't, he waited to see if Skye would. Skye did in the end, stepping even closer to him, letting her side touch his. Coulson smiled as he slowly turned to her and kissed the top of head lightly, knowing it could very well be the last time he gets a chance to.

"What if things didn't end between us?" Skye asked him as she moved closer to him.

Coulson was a bit stunned not sure if he'd heard her right.

"You still want me?" Coulson asked wanting it to be true.

Skye spun in his arms making him step back a bit so she could stand between him and the railings.

"If you still want me." Skye replied.

"No Skye." Coulson said to her and she spun back round instantly.

Skye could feel the tears fall as she gripped the railing. She was surprised when she felt his arms wrap round her, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"We both have to want the other to make this work. No more blame or guilt. What's happen has happened. Ward is the real person to blame for throwing that grenade." Coulson said into her ear before kissing her shoulder and neck.

Skye was still crying and trying to laugh at the same time. The more she felt happy in his arms the tighter he held her and kissed her more, even smiling into her neck.

"I don't know if I've said this to you but I do love you." Coulson said to her.

"I love you too AC." Skye replied as she leaned back into his embrace.

They stayed like that for a while till the stars come out before heading back to the Bus. Coulson parked Lola on the ramp noting the SUV was back. Coulson opened the door for Skye and she took his hand as he helped her out before shutting the door. Skye kissed him on the lips and as much as Coulson would love this to go way further he knew he was trying to rush.

"Skye, you set the pace. I don't want you to ever fell pushed into something. If this is all you want right now I'm happy with that." Coulson said to her in hushed tones not sure where everyone was.

"I understand, I really do, but seriously the night is still young and I'd still like to be in your company for a little while longer." Skye replied.

"My office?" Coulson asked her.

"The room with the view, if the Bus was outside, sure." Skye replied as she headed up the stairs.

The team was in the galley with some of the bar drinks on the counter and snacks scattered about the tables. Coulson and Skye managed to sneak up without anyone seeing them, even though Coulson was sure May must have seen them but choose to stay quiet. Skye noticed Coulson's bed was already out as he motioned her to sit on it. She gave him a puzzled look thinking they had agreed to take things at her pace, Coulson spotted her look.

"Trust me I'm not up to anything. I was tired before we left and I just figured might as well get ready now rather than later on when all I could be bothered to do was sleep on the floor." Coulson admitted as he took off his jacket dropped it onto his desk chair.

He stood beside the bed but waited till she wanted him to but she looked like she felt awkward so he sat down anyway. Coulson wasn't sure what to do next with Skye but she had an idea as she lay back on his bed. Coulson watched as she patted the space beside her. He did as he was told and lay beside her on his back looking out his skylight. He couldn't see anything except the hangar roof. He rolled onto his side to face Skye who was already on her side watching him. Their eyes locked as Coulson tried to read her and what she planned next. Tentatively she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, Coulson moved into the touch. Coulson returned the gesture as Skye moved closer to him, an arm around him kissing him long and softly on the lips, Coulson returned it with equal passion. Slowly he leaned onto his back and Skye followed lying on top of him so they could hold each other with both arms. Skye broke the kiss and laid her head on his chest hearing his heart thump beneath her ear. A fast steady beat. Coulson ran a hand up and down her back; tiredness was showing on them both.

"Go to sleep Skye." Coulson whispered to her.

"Don't want to move." Skye muttered back clinging to him more.

"I didn't say leave." Coulson replied.

Skye slid more to his side but was still wrapped in his arms; their legs were entwined as Skye closed her eyes. Coulson was battling to keep his own eyes open making sure she did sleep before kissing her forehead and let his eyelids win their battle.

When Skye awoke the next morning she was very surprised to find herself alone in bed. Looking around her she saw the t-shirt and jeans Coulson had worn neatly folded on the chair. She got up and went downstairs and saw the team having breakfast. They all paused mid-way through filling their mouths with either food or drink seeing her coming from Coulson's office. May was the first to speak.

"Pay up, fifty bucks each." May said holding her hand out staring at the other three and they all paid instantly unless she tried to stuff pancakes, toast or cereal up their noses.

Skye looked a little nervous that they knew about her and Coulson but then they hadn't openly rejected it.

"Anyone see Coulson?" Skye asked as she went to make herself a coffee.

"Thought he'd be with you. You did just come from there." Fitz said pointing back to the stairs.

"He wasn't there when I woke up." Skye said wondering if it was anger or worry rising up.

May was on her tablet checking the cameras.

"He left the plane a couple of hours ago before I got up for Tai Chi. Judging by the bag he's either walking or he's planning on another solo mission." May replied.

"Shit!" Skye swore and bolted back upstairs.

The team were confused but followed. When they got upstairs they found Skye behind Coulson's desk, an open file in front of her.

"What was in that file?" Trip asked.

"Possible Ward location." Skye replied as she looked round his office.

She spotted behind her the spot where he kept his Destroyer Gun after Fury had given him back, was empty. May also noted the missing weapon and looked down at the file for the location and headed off to fly over there immediately. Skye couldn't believe he would do such a thing, hoping that last night would put an end to his warpath but clearly he had seen this file and was determined to get revenge.

"I'm sure he'll be alright. He's one of the best agents S.H.I.E.L.D. has." Simmons told her.

"And resourceful, even though I've only just got Sleepy back together again." Fitz commented as well.

"I hope so. I've only just got him back." Skye muttered as she felt the plane roll out the hangar and heading to catch up with Coulson.

Skye knew they were close but she didn't know if the Bus could catch up to the Lola's lead in time.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Thanks once again for the reviews. I've only got one more chapter planned for this story. I'm not sure if I've written this well enough or completely balls it up. Be warned, Dark Coulson inside this chapter.

**Chapter 13**

Coulson was sat in Lola outside the suspected building watching. He felt horrible for leaving Skye like he did but he'd woken up during the night, he put it down to getting use to someone in his bed. He'd wondered over to his desk at the file Skye had dropped off earlier before their talk. Opening it he saw she had quite possibly found Ward. He tried to ignore the rising anger and want for revenge but it was too irresistible. His emotions were still on the surface, raw. He looked across to Skye seeing her curled up on his bed. He figured she would have been at least 4 if not 5 months pregnant if Ward hadn't ended it. He knew Skye still blamed herself for what happened but he knew it was Ward who had to suffer. Now here he was, outside the warehouse that was a possible location of where he was hiding. Skye had even found CCTV images from the surrounding area of him walking around remarkably well. Coulson looked at the passenger seat where his Destroyer gun sat. He'd heard from his time on the Helicarrier that Fury had let no one else neither use the gun nor make another. It had earned the nickname, Coulson's Revenge, from when he shoot Loki and blasted a hole in the Helicarrier. It was revenge he was going for here. He wanted Ward to suffer for all the pain and misery he had caused.

Getting out of Lola he opened the trunk and slung the assault rifle over his shoulder, two hand guns were in their holsters on his hips and spare in pouches around his belt. He picked up the Destroyer gun last and caught his reflection in the wing mirror. Looking at himself he barely recognized himself in the mirror. Black trousers, white shirt and black bulletproof vest, his hair slightly tousled a night's stubble on his face. Grimacing at his disheveled state he headed for the warehouse, eyes open. A thud beside him and he turned and noticed it was a soldier, firing the destroyer gun; the man went down easy enough. He carried on to the main door and heard voices behind it. Kicking in the door he fired the destroyer gun in the general direction of the voices, hitting three out of the four men. The fourth man couldn't believe what was happening and once he realized he was under attack, Coulson slammed the butt of the large gun into his face. Room by room he cleared, conserving the energy in his gun from now on, only using it on the juiced up soldiers. He couldn't work out why they were back for a while till he remembered that HYDRA still had Raina at their disposal.

He'd been merciless as he ransacked the warehouse to the point he was forgetting to check corners. One plucky HYDRA agent was about to jump him from behind. The sickening crack made him whip round and only his training stilled his finger in time. Agent May was stood in the doorway clearly not impressed with him. She went to say something but he barged past her to see everyone else was there too, including Skye. That made him pause seeing her trying to not look upset but he knew she was. He was being totally reckless.

"Stand down Coulson!" May ordered him.

Coulson didn't flinch nor move. His hand remained on the destroyer gun.

"You are emotionally..." May started but stopped when he turned to face her.

"Don't you dare give me that bullshit!" Coulson snapped.

That had stunned everyone including May. No one had seen him act like this. He could feel his rage bubbling under his skin. Before any of them could react the wall behind them was being chipped away by bullets. They all ducked down, Coulson pulled Skye lower to the ground shielding her. Once the bullets stopped, Coulson looked around the place and spotted Ward. All Coulson was red, blinding red; he got up and ran after the retreating Ward. Ward had ducked down a secret passageway that leads under the warehouse. Coulson was not going to let him get away from him. The base was a maze of corridors and doors and even though Coulson knew he was lost he didn't let up his speed. His brain was trying to reason with him that this was going to end in death and all his red vision was determined it was to be Ward. Ward had dived into a room and Coulson finally slowed down. Peering inside he saw it was a storage room and he recognized some of the shield storage crates. Coulson took aim with the destroyer gun and fired. The blast echoed round the room as Ward only just dodged the heated blast. The weapon crate was destroyed and his gun had run out of energy. He put it down and his eyes were drawn to the silver staff that had been within the crate. Ward was back on his feet, knife in hand. Coulson drew his own knife.

Ward charged and Coulson threw his knife with all the strength and anger he could. The blade sank to the hilt into Wards thigh causing him to cry out in pain. Ward threw his blade and even though Coulson dodged sideways, the blade still cut his left arm. Coulson gritted his teeth and stepped closer to the staff. He knew what would happen if he picked it up but he was already blinded by his own rage he doubted it could do anything. Ward was looking for an escape route as Coulson wrapped his hands round the silver staff.

Skye was trying to find Coulson but was having no luck. All of a sudden a scream ripped through the base. The whole team was instantly afraid and knew they had to find the source of it. The scream was not pain but a primal yell of hate, anger and vengeance. The scream ripped through again this time it had an undertone of a primal roar.

Coulson had grabbed the Berserker Staff knowing full well what it was going to do to him. The staff glowed orange; the runes looked to be on fire as they transferred to him. His hands, arms and even his face glowed with the runes with each breath. He was shaking, still gripping the staff in a death grip as the staff's power washed over him like a tide. He felt anger and hate rise up and as much as he wanted it to go away it was too overpowering as the memories flashed before him.

His father's death before his eyes, his mother dying, bad missions and doubts with S.H.I.E.L.D. projects like TAHITI. His death by Loki's hand and HYDRAs betrayal were just some of the images. He screamed the staff in hand thrust to the sky. Then he looked at Ward, his next scream was more like a roar, a primeval roar of power. Ward looked scared as he staggered back, eyes darting, looking for an exit. He was suddenly made to turn around when he heard Coulson laugh; it wasn't a laugh of something funny it was a laugh of something dark.

Ward turned to face the man and dropped his gun. As soon as it hit the ground Coulson charged at him and swung the staff aiming for his head. Ward ducked in time and scrabbled forwards grabbing a metal pole. Coulson spun round and brought the staff down in another powerful blow. Ward moved out of the way and swung his pole into the side of Coulson's knee. Coulson staggered back a bit and grunted in pain but the blow didn't slow him. Ward staggered to his feet ignoring the pain from the knife there and started swinging for him. Coulson evaded the blows with ease before swinging for Ward, aiming for his gut, sending Ward flying back.

Coulson stormed over to him while he dazed and tore the knife out of his leg. Ward yelped in pain as he went to wrap his hands round the gushing wound.

"Hurts don't it!" Coulson sneered at him before slamming a foot down onto the wound.

Ward was close to blacking out from the pain. He felt weightless as if gravity no longer existed but then he realized Coulson had grabbed him by the scruff of his vest. Even though Ward was slightly taller than him, Coulson was lifting him one handed with ease. Then Ward was flying through the air and out the door before hitting the corridor wall opposite, cracking the wall. Ward was dazed but he staggered to his feet and limped off. Coulson still had a hold of the staff as he walked out.

"Come back here you little bastard!" Coulson yelled at him.

Ward was terrified for his life. He pulled out a container from his vest and opened it. Inside was Raina's new centipede serum, knowing this was a dire situation for himself he injected it into himself. He felt heat course through his blood, the wound in his leg stitched back together but he felt stronger. He charged at Coulson then feeling renewed enough to face him. Coulson swung the staff and ward caught it. Coulson was momentarily stunned as ward changed his grip on it and used it as leverage and swung Coulson into the cracked wall. Coulson went through, plaster dust stuck in his hair and dirtying his clothes but he was no on the walkway that went round the top of the warehouse. Behind him were railings then a good three storey drop to the ground. Across the way, the May and Triplett witnessed except Skye who was still looking for him. May radioed to say they found them. Thankfully Ward had let of his grip on the staff so it was still in his possession. Ward was coming through the gap and kicked at Coulson's gut with enough force that the metal railings bent and gave way. Coulson fell through the air; his fall was broken by some wooden crates stacked up. His grip on the staff had been lost and it clattered to the ground a few feet from him. He rolled onto his stomach and pulled himself out of the debris. His back was on fire with pain and he didn't know if he would be able to stand and his hips and knees were hurting. He crawled to the staff and renewed his grip on it. The pain in his body was still there but dulled down enough he could move again. Looking up he saw Ward was getting ready to jump down. Coulson waited till he did and swung at Ward as if he was going for a home run. The resounding crack on Ward's ribs knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying across the open ground warehouse.

Skye walked into the open ground floor, seeing the staff in Coulson's hands as he walked towards Ward murderously. Skye couldn't believe he would do something like this, he was a good person.

"A.C!" Skye shouted at him.

Coulson only looked over his shoulder. Ward was on his knees as Coulson stood behind him.

"Coulson!" Skye shouted again, tears pricking her eyes as she saw in Coulson's eyes the intent to kill Ward while he was defenseless.

Coulson brought the staff to Ward's neck, choking him. Ward was struggling to breathe and Coulson was enjoying it, watching his life slip away. The staff was fueling his adrenaline and with each choke and gasp from Ward he was tightened his grip some more. May and Triplett was coming behind him surprised and stunned that Coulson had this dark side to him. Skye stood beside him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Coulson turned towards her angry.

"Phil, stop this. This isn't you." Skye pleaded with him.

Anger disappeared from his features as his chest heaved trying to catch a breath. The staff loosened from Ward's neck and he fell forwards coughing and holding his throat. Coulson looked at the staff in disgust before tossing it aside, the pain in his body from the fall returned but he was determined to not give in to it. Skye wanted to touch him again but fear rooted her at the moment knowing the effects of the Berserker Staff were still in him. Coulson stood in front of Ward getting the man to look up at him. Coulson leaned down closer to him. The May and Triplett walked up to Skye watching Coulson staring the man down.

"Skye's child that you murdered," Coulson said to him, "Was my child too."

Ward looked confused before realizing that Coulson was the father. Before he could say anything Coulson brought his fist down so hard Ward was sent spinning, tooth and blood spitting out of his mouth before hitting the ground. Skye looked at Coulson as they made eye contact. Coulson wanted to apologize to her for losing it, Skye seemed to understand and just nodded before walking away. May and Trip dragged Ward's sorry ass out, even if though May didn't mind if she occasionally made him bang into a wall, door or even the floor to open said door. Coulson just watched Skye walk away knowing that he would have to talk to her later when he calmed down. FitzSimmons were called in from the SUV outside and got the Berserker Staff packed away safely as Coulson followed them out heading for the bus.

Coulson was the last one to walk up the ramp; May was waiting and watched him. His head was down and each step was an effort. Coulson stopped in front of her, looking up her at her he couldn't read her face.

"Go ahead, say it. Give me the whole I'm an idiot for breaking the rules of relationships." Coulson said to her defeated.

"How are you Phil?" May asked instead.

Coulson smiled briefly.

"Ask me again later." Coulson replied before walking past her and up to the living area.

He walked to the stairs to his office and looked across to Skye's bunk. She was inside and the door open. She made eye contact with him for a second and went to walk over to him. Coulson held a hand up in defense not wanting her to come near him at the moment. He was so afraid that he would hurt her he ran up to his office ignoring his back and legs hurting. Once inside he shut the door and felt claustrophobic, his breathing increased rapidly, his vision blurring, swaying for a moment before collapsing to the ground with a thud. Skye had heard him and was in his office in seconds. Kneeling beside him Skye held his hand trying to bring him back to here and now. Coulson tried to fight her but was afraid to hurt her.

"Get away from me." Coulson whined.

"No I'm staying." Skye pleaded as she held his shoulders down while he was shaking and trying to thrash.

"Please! I'm a monster!" Coulson pleaded, tears pricking his eyes.

"You are not a monster. Ward is a monster, not you." Skye tried to get him to see straight.

Coulson rolled out of her grip and sat up his back to his desk, hand out to her as if to push her away.

"What I've just done, even if it was Ward, was monstrous." Coulson replied staring at his out stretched hand as if it was a clawed monsters hand covered in blood.

Skye moved and sat beside him.

"Please will you just listen to me and get away from me! I don't trust myself. I don't want to do something you'll hate me for." Coulson still pleaded with her as he leaned away.

Skye sighed and got up and walked to his door. Coulson stood up then and leaned on his desk, his back to the door. He heard the door click shut and he felt his body loosen, his elbows shaking ready to give up holding his worthless body up. He wasn't ready for Skye's arms to wrap round his waist. He tensed up as she made him turn around to face her. She was leaning up to him but he didn't see how close as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Please, stay aw…" Coulson muttered but never finished as he felt her lips brush his.

Coulson slowly opened his eyes his lips quivering trying to form words but nothing was escaping them except his breath. Skye threaded a hand through his hair to rest behind his neck at the short hairs there. Her other was resting on his chest. Coulson soon wrapped his arms round her lower back holding her to him. He kissed her back slowly being careful of his action. When he broke away Skye was smiling at him.

"I'm not hurt am I?" Skye asked.

"No but I'm still afraid. I'm afraid this will lead somewhere you're not ready for and I won't be able to stop myself." Coulson told her, hurt in his eyes.

"I trust you." Skye told him as she pulled him away from the desk to his bed that still hadn't been put away.

Coulson was reluctant to but he did as she wished. They both lay there hugging and kissing and even though Coulson could feel that need for more rise up he fought the urge down leaving Skye in charge. His belt was loosened and he looked at Skye in shock that she had managed to do that without him noticing. His brain was screaming at him to take her but he had to fight it.

"Skye please, I'm not in full control of myself." Coulson pleaded but made no move to stop her.

"I trust you. Besides it's been too long." Skye replied to him.

Coulson threw his head back into the pillows letting out a long groan.

"Oh dear lord, I'm done for." Coulson muttered.

The team waited for Skye to come back downstairs but after they saw her shut his office door it was decided to leave the Bus for the night. May wanted to kick his ass about doing such things on the Bus but then this was a new S.H.I.E.L.D. so maybe that rule could be overlooked from now on. Heck what sort of friend would she be to stop him from having some peace in his life?

* * *

**AN:** I play Marvel's Avengers Alliance on FB and own Coulson's Revenge which is how I know the other name for the Destroyer Gun... its flipping lethal!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Here it is the last chapter. I'm not sure how this worked out but please keep the reviews coming in. I'll admit I am toying with the idea of a sequel but I'll see how this is received to whether I'll jump into writing another Coulskye fic again lol.

**Chapter 14**

Coulson awoke feeling refreshed, the anger and hate from last night was gone. His legs and back still hurt from his fall but he was certain after last night nothing was broken just bruised. Thinking about last night he looked beside him at the sleeping young woman with a smile. The last few months have been a rough up and down for them. Rushed start with consequences, wanting to protect her which resulted in his capture and torture, his rescue should have been a happy reunion but it ended in a pain far greater than he had ever known. His parent's death, comrade's death even his own painful death was nothing compared to what Ward had done to them. Things seemed to pick up when they talked and they were still together. Then his want for revenge took over him. If Skye hadn't pulled him back from the brink he knew he would have killed Ward. Skye had saved him last night. He was sure that if she hadn't pulled him out of his darkness to where they are now, lying naked together after a night full of pleasure and love, he would have pushed her away forever. Skye sighed happily beside him, a hand stretched up from his stomach to his chest. Coulson wanted to stay lying here with her but he was awake. He went to leave and Skye stirred beside him.

"Go back to sleep, have a lie-in." Coulson whispered to her.

"Stay." Skye mumbled to him.

Coulson smiled trying to think how he was going to keep her happy as well as himself. He'd always been a morning person.

"Stay here I'm just going to get a coffee. I'll be back soon." Coulson said to her as he tried to get out of bed.

"Hot chocolate for me please." Skye said as she opened her eyes to look at him as he stood up looking for a pair of trousers.

"Sure." Coulson smiled spying a pair of jeans.

He was no curious as to where his suit trousers had gone along with his shirt. He finally spied his shirt hanging off his model of the Bus on his desk. Leaning over to get the shirt he'd spotted Skye's own shirt and his trousers on the floor. He couldn't remember having throwing them over here but here they are. He put his shirt on but didn't bother with the buttons. As he went to walk past the bed he leaned over and kissed Skye. She tried to grab his shirt to pull him down but she was too sleepy to be accurate. Coulson chuckled and stood up.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Coulson told her before leaving the room.

The lights were dimmed round the Bus as he wandered downstairs. He paused mid-step when he saw May doing her Tai Chi. Realizing his shirt was undone he wished now he had done it up but it was too late now. May raised an eyebrow while doing her Tai Chi when she saw him. Coulson fidgeted on the spot for a bit before he walked past he formed a T shape with his hands. She smiled back at him which he knew was a yes. Coulson got to work making her favorite tea and his coffee as well as a hot chocolate for Skye. May had finished by the time Coulson had finished making her drink. May took it and let it warm her hands for a bit before taking a sip. She watched Coulson and noted his eyes were bright, brighter than they had been for weeks. He'd lost that tiredness look to him and if it was possible, he looked younger. It was the smile on his face that caught her attention as well. Coulson could tell she was watching him. May grinned at him.

"Worked it all out your system yet?" May asked him pointing at him.

Coulson cleared his throat and rubbed a hand to the back of his neck.

"May have." Coulson said knowing full well what she was on about, "You think I'm a hypocrite. My relationship with Skye and everything that has happened." Coulson said to her his eyes darting to her every now and then while, he stirred the drinks.

"A little but then you're happy. This isn't a just sex relationship it's something more." May pointed out.

"I know but it has affected my work." Coulson replied.

"I think HYDRA traitor trying to blow up your girlfriend and killed your child is an understandable reason to go off the rails Phil. I'd probably have done the same." May replied to him.

Coulson nodded glad he had her support still. A beeping from the command Centre had them both pause and Coulson did up his shirt as he walked over with May stood beside him he answered the call. It was Maria Hill.

"I hear you have Ward in custody." Maria said straight to the point.

"Yes we do." Coulson replied doing his best to keep the anger out of his voice.

He had thought he'd worked out the after effects from the Berserker Staff out of his system but he could feel it bubbling away at the mention of Ward. May could see his hands flexing into balled fists.

"You're to report to the Helicarrier at once and hand him over." Maria ordered.

"Gladly." Coulson said and realized he had said it through gritted teeth.

"You ok Agent Coulson?" Maria asked noticing.

"Fine." Coulson lied.

"Ok. See you in a few hours then." Maria replied and ended the call.

Coulson waited for the screen to go blank except for the rotating S.H.I.E.L.D. logo. He leant forward a bit and gripped the table trying to breathe through the anger. May understood what he was going through. May laid a supporting hand on his shoulder and with one long slow breath out, Coulson felt back in control.

"How long does this take?" Coulson asked.

"A good few days. Exhausting yourself doesn't help as you dwell on it more. Go back to Skye. It's going to take a few hours to get back to New York so you got time to work a bit more out I guess." May told him as she turned to leave.

"I think scarring the team once is bad enough let alone again." Coulson joked.

"Who said they heard you two last night. We've only been back on the Bus about an hour." May replied.

Coulson was shocked at that. Looking at the bunks the doors were shut and clearly they'd all only just managed to sleep. He went back to galley to retrieve his drinks and went upstairs. Skye had fallen back to sleep. He took a sip of his own drink and set them down on a shelf beside him. Coulson was about to lie back down on the bed when his desk chair spun round and seated there was Director Fury. Coulson's eyes went wide as he froze; quickly darting his eyes to Skye then back to his boss wondering how long the man had been there.

"I've only been here a few minutes." Fury told him seeing the look on Coulson's face.

"May knew." Coulson guessed.

"Sure she did. Take it you don't look up anymore." Fury replied.

Coulson looked up through the skylight and sure enough Garrett's old plane which they had now taken was attached to the Bus. It was then he realized the Bus was in the air.

"Are we heading for the Helicarrier?" Coulson asked.

"You'll find out." Fury replied to him not revealing anything.

Coulson could feel his anger rise. Fury was keeping things from him. Coulson paced the room to try and walk it off but something was bugging him.

"Why did you bring me back? It was stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, and cruel and very stupid!" Coulson snapped but kept his voice down due to Skye still sleepy not too far away.

"It was a 'break glass in case of emergency' situation." Fury replied not sure why Coulson didn't believe that.

"Yes but only for a fallen Avenger!" Coulson hissed back.

"Exactly." Fury replied leaning forward his elbows on the desk, his chin on his balled fist.

Coulson was flabbergasted; Fury had called him an Avenger. Coulson's lips moved but no words came out. Fury just watched as his best friend didn't know how to complete his rant.

"Listen to me very carefully because you know how few people I can trust."

"You can count them on one hand"

!And I'm not afraid to cut off fingers. When you build something, you need a strong foundation. I look around this Bus and your team as it stands and I see a strong foundation here, even if I have my reservations about one member." Fury said to him leaning to the side to regard the sleeping woman behind Coulson.

Coulson went to say something but Fury held up one finger silencing any protest.

"What was the principle that S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded on?" Fury asked him.

"Protection." Coulson replied.

"Protection. One word. Sometimes to protect one man against himself. Other times to protect the planet against an alien invasion from another universe. It's a broad job description." Fury explained.

"You don't need to tell me" Coulson replied knowing this.

"But, the belief that drives us all is the same. Whether it's one or all mankind" Fury continued anyway.

"That they are worth saving" Coulson replied looking down wondering if Fury thought he was worth saving.

"That truth lives inside you Coulson. Before it was torn apart, SHIELD was a lot of moving parts. Guys like you were the heart. Now you'll be the head" Fury stepped up to him with a small black and grey cube between two fingers.

"What is it?" Coulson asked taking the cube and rotated in his own fingers.

"A toolbox, to help you build it back up" Fury explained.

"You want me to start over? Rebuild shield" Coulson was stunned once again to be given such an important task.

"From scratch. Take your time and do it right. There is no one else I trust with this." Fury pointed a finger at him so he knew he was being serious.

"Thank you sir. How do you… how do I proceed?" Coulson didn't know where to start with all this.

"That's up to you… Director." Fury held out his hand which Coulson took.

Skye was awake and had heard Coulson being promoted. Fury chose that moment to leave.

"So where you going now?" Coulson asked.

"I'm trading in my bird's eye view for two solid feet on the ground." Fury replied not revealing anything.

"You're going to disappear. Nowhere to be found." Coulson understood seeing as everyone believed he was dead except a small handful of people.

"You know me better than that Phil. I'll be everywhere." Fury replied as he disappeared out of his office before looking back at him once more.

"Oh sir. What about the Helicarrier?" Coulson asked.

"It's on stand down till you say so. Hill knows you're in charge now so she'll be waiting for your orders." Fury replied before climbing the stairs up into the jet.

Coulson looked up in time to see it fly away from them. Skye sat in bed as Coulson sat down beside her the cube in his hand.

"Wow Director Coulson now." Skye commented hugging him.

"Yeah and an Avenger." Coulson added still shocked at that part.

"Double promotion. How do you plan to celebrate that?" Skye asked.

Coulson was still regarding the box. He had work to do but at the same time they needed a break, all of them. Sighing he turned to face her.

"I don't know. Maybe after a vacation away I can think a bit more straight for this job." Coulson replied lifting the cube up to his eye level.

May came up to his office noting Fury had gone and Coulson was holding a small cube.

"What are your orders?" May asked.

"First I want to let everyone know something first so please can you wake them up. I don't want formal so I don't care if they are in t-shirts. Secondly head to the Helicarrier to drop off Ward. Then its break time for us all." Coulson replied as he tried to think where he'd go for a vacation.

Looking at Skye he figured he'd go wherever she wanted to go as he was sure she would want him with her. The team was gathered and Coulson told them of his promotion to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Everyone clapped and applauded him and wished him luck and were ready to help in whatever capacity they could. They wanted to celebrate but first they had to drop off a prisoner. Once at the Helicarrier the ramp was lowered and Triplett and May led Ward down into the custody of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents there. Coulson stayed back till Ward was completely out of sight. Skye had stepped up beside him and held his hand behind his back out of sight. She could feel he was shaking out of fear and anger. Skye's touch calmed him enough to face what he had to do. Maria Hill waited at the bottom of the ramp for Coulson to walk down.

"Agent Hill." Coulson greeted in the flat agent tone.

"Director Coulson." Hill replied with the same tone.

"I want him locked up, never to see daylight again." Coulson ordered motioning towards Ward.

"We have a maximum security prison in mind for him." Hill replied as she handed over the paperwork for it to him.

"Good. Now down to business." Coulson replied wanting to get this over with quickly.

I wasn't till the Bus landed on Helicarrier that the weight of what Fury had given him, hit him. He actually thought he was going to have a panic attack. His head was swimming with thoughts and ideas of things that he thought had gone wrong and what should have been improved or changed. He couldn't think straight. It took him five minutes to do up his tie because his thoughts kept drifting about the place he would pause and then have to re-think what he was doing. Now facing agent Hill, Coulson could see the woman was a bit annoyed she wasn't given the director job seeing as she was Fury's second in command. Fury had called him the heart, while Hill would run this like a military operation. Was that what Fury wanted now? Less military more thought? Coulson couldn't think once again and Hill was getting impatient.

"What are your orders?" Hill asked.

Coulson wondered further onto the deck of the Helicarrier and looked around at the monstrous vehicle. All the remaining loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were on deck as was required to welcome onboard the new Director. Coulson looked dismayed to see so few men. The Helicarrier was being run by a skeleton crew. He looked back at the Bus at how such a large plane, small in comparison to the Helicarrier, and its small team had changed the lives of people. Maybe the answer wasn't in the big imposing Helicarrier but smaller teams. They were supposed to be secret agents yet they were visible. Maybe it was time to go back to the shadows.

"Agent Hill. Once Ward is secured in his new prison I want all data and information put onto drives and given to Agent Skye. Then contact Mr Stark, I believe he'll find a use in dismantling this place." Coulson ordered smiling to himself imagining Mr Stark running amok with this place and all the aircraft.

"Sir! Have you lost your mind?!" Hill yelled.

"Quite possibly." Coulson said as a quick remark which stunned Hill, "No I haven't, it's time S.H.I.E.L.D. disappeared into the shadows once more. The world saw what happened at the Triskelion when HYDRA took over. To the world S.H.I.E.L.D. is dead and that's what should happen. Of course we'll still operate but re-formed."

Hill couldn't believe what she was hearing but at the same time it made sense.

"So what shall we all do?" Hill asked.

Coulson looked over at the men and women still loyal; he could see the same wariness that he felt. HYDRA's betrayal had torn everyone, shattered friendships and even possibly families.

"You are all on vacation till I say otherwise. Enjoy it people. We have a lot of work to do but first we need to recover." Coulson said loud enough that they could all hear him.

The agents seemed relieved to hear this. Hill still didn't and went to protest.

"Maria I don't care what you think right now, I'm Director and these are my orders. Follow them or you can go running to Talbot." Coulson said to her as sternly as he could.

"Yes sir." Hill replied defeated.

"And don't you dare tell Mr Stark it's me that sent him this Helicarrier and all the Quinjets. I still want to see the look of surprise on his face when I speak to him face to face." Coulson warned.

"Yes sir," Hill replied before turning to the Helicarrier Agents, "You heard the Director. I want Ward sent to maximum prison now. Contact Mr Stark and ask him where he'd like this Helicarrier delivered. Also transfer all files and data to hard drives and put onto SHIELD-616 immediately."

The men and women moved with renewed vigor as they set about getting the task done. The hard drives were labelled and appeared into the hold by the box load. It took a few days to get everything sorted. The Bus was soon packed up and ready to go. Coulson regarded the cube once again and wondered what was inside. Skye had appeared from behind, wrapping her arms around him leaning her head on his shoulder while he was perched on the railing looking out of the Helicarrier main window. It was up here Fury use to stand and watch, it was behind him on the table that the Avengers first met one another. Taking in a deep breath as he lifted his head he closed his eyes to think before turning in Skye's arms to face her. He put the cube into his jacket pocket and wrapped his arms Skye's waist pulling her closer to him. He decided the cube could wait a few days or weeks.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked Skye.

"Anywhere you are." Skye replied.

Coulson smiled, he knew she would say that. Coulson led her out of the Helicarrier and to the Bus. May flew them back to the mainland where they had permission to land in a Stark airport. The team split up for the next few weeks. Triplett decided to see his family; May did the same knowing she had a lot to catch up on with her mother. FitzSimmons headed back to England and Ireland. Skye was sure they had gotten together and wished them luck regardless. This left Coulson, Skye and Lola to go wherever they wanted.


	15. Epilogue

**AN: **Did I say last chapter? Oops, this is the last chapter. Sorry I sometimes have a habit of doing this lol, Completing a story then uploading a final bit lol

**Epilogue**

Ward had been in the prison for a few months now. People had heard who he was and what he had done. Some of the inmates wanted to kill him for attacking a pregnant woman but then Ward wasn't defenceless and without training and soon was one of the more feared inmates. He'd spotted Trevor Slattery and just ignored him. Seeing Justin Hammer sat in the corner gave him an idea. HYDRA was still out there, they'd retreated into the shadows once again but Ward knew where to find them, well one person in particular. Hammer was a tech person and HYDRA needed technology as well as designed its own. Ward approached the young man and laid down his bargain. Of course he was easy to manipulate when he wanted revenge on Tony Stark and Pepper. Ward promised that he would help in that matter as he wanted revenge on people connected to them.

The whole prison was alerted and alarms blaring with guns going off. Guards were being killed; Ward was confused as this wasn't HYDRA. He spotted one of the gunmen and saw a tattoo on his neck which was ten rings in a circle, joined. The Ten Rings group. Hammer hid under the table and Ward explained to him to stay here and his people would get him released early, they had a very good hacker on their side. Hammer listened and did as he was told.

Ward attacked the gunman and stole his weapons and using the confusion he busted himself out noting the Ten Rings were taking Trevor with them. He didn't care he just wanted out and away. Once he was far enough away he made the phone call to Raina who sent men to pick him up. He was determined to get revenge against Coulson. He wasn't sure if his feelings for Skye were genuine but he did feel bad for throwing the grenade at her. He didn't understand why she would be attracted to the older agent. A jeep turned up at his location and drove off with him while he made a call to his hacker.

"Miles, I need you to bust a friend of mine out of jail. Justin Hammer."


End file.
